Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

'Bad or incompetent teachers cannot continue in the system'- Dr Potter

Teachers have been encouraged to become responsible for their own professional development as the territory will not “settle for less.”

Speaking at a professional development session for teachers at Eileene L. Parsons Auditorium, H. Lavity Stoutt Community College (HLSCC), Paraquita Bay, Tortola, then Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Dr Marcia Potter said any teacher who is not performing at acceptable standards is doing students a disservice.

According to Dr Potter, who has since been transferred to the Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration, that is why professional development for educators continues to be a very important area for Government and “the Minister is keen on addressing the matter of teacher quality.”

“Teachers play a dynamic role in the educational system. It is said that good performance of students depends upon effective teaching. Effective teaching is a key responsibility of each and every teacher. The ministry will be working assiduously to get the training institute going again at the college that will train new teachers, facilitate on-going professional development and offer licensing for teachers.”

No settling for less

Dr Potter continued that teacher quality is “a great concern” and it must be made clear that “bad or incompetent teachers cannot continue in the system.”

She said the charge is being given to teachers to become responsible for their own professional development, “becoming and remaining current in your subject areas and in this, your chosen profession.”

Teachers were told they must continue to sharpen their skills and stay abreast with best practices in education.

“We cannot settle for less.”

Along with the coordinated ministry level sessions, Dr Potter said each principal will also be expected to engage staff members in regular Professional Development sessions, updating them on current trends in education and addressing pedagogical weaknesses.

She also announced that the appraisal and the hiring process for teachers will be reviewed this school year and where necessary amended “to ensure we are getting quality teachers and quality teaching in our classrooms.”

Higher standards needed

It was on July 17, 2019 that Minister for Education, Culture, Agriculture, Fisheries, Sports, and Youth Affairs, Dr the Hon Natalio D. Wheatley (R7) told education officials and other stakeholders from across the region that there needs to be a higher threshold set for persons seeking to enter the teaching profession.

Hon Wheatley made the suggestion during the opening of a two-day Regional Consultation on Developing Standards for the Teaching Profession in Latin America and the Caribbean Region at the Arthur Chung Conference Center in Liliendaal, Guyana.

“We cannot expect students who are not properly learned to properly teach, so it is imperative to set a high threshold for those seeking to enter the profession as is the case with law and medicine,” Hon Wheatley told a gathering of regional education personnel.

“If one would not want a C student operating on their body, one should not tolerate a C student operating on the young minds of the nation,” the Education Minister Wheatley continued.

Hon Wheatley had emphasised that teachers must also be equipped with special skills, to cater for all types of students.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×