UG to upgrade language curriculum

Participants of the consultation.

Georgetown: The University of Guyana (UG) is holding consultations to enhance its language programmes to provide a more holistic learning experience for students. With a current enrollment of some 8,000 students, the University hopes to support language development from the primary through the tertiary level.

As the Government continues to provide 21st-century relevant education to the people of Guyana, Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry today said that the enhancement of the languages programme will provide high-quality language learning opportunities.  “The education system must support learners of all ages to gain the skills and confidence to not only be Guyanese citizens but also global citizens,” Ministry Henry said.

She commended the University’s initiative of providing improved hands-on learning of various languages as a ‘very important objective of this government’.

Among its plans, UG intends to update its language curriculum and design new and improved programmes that will cater for the country’s current business and tourism climate.

The minister further added, “We certainly need a paradigm shift in language learning here in Guyana and I believe that the University of Guyana is well positioned to lead and be the ideal change agent.”

The five-day consultation is being held at the Education Lecture Theatre at UG’s Turkeyen Campus and involves experts and teachers of Creole, Standard English, French, Spanish, Dutch and Portuguese.

It will address the review and update of the French, Spanish and Portuguese Programmes as well as designing a curriculum for a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Dutch and Mandarin and the development of a curriculum for English as a second language.