By Jean-Pierre Clerge
During the BAC Virtual Expo, a select number of persons were eligible to win a free short course from the UWI Open Campus. Participants were asked to write an article for the BAC Newsletter about the topic “What does Quality in Higher Education mean to you?” After careful deliberation, the BAC’s newly formed Public Relations Committee has decided on finalist, Jean-Pierre Clerge! Here is his article below:
Quality in post-secondary education is essential for ensuring that students receive the knowledge, skills, and support they need to succeed in their chosen fields. To me, quality post-secondary education should include a number of key elements.
First and foremost, quality post-secondary education should be provided by experienced and knowledgeable instructors. These individuals should have a deep understanding of the subject matter they are teaching and should be able to effectively communicate this knowledge to their students. They should also be able to provide students with the guidance and support they need to succeed, both in their classes and in their future careers.
In addition to experienced instructors, quality post-secondary education should also have a well-designed curriculum. This curriculum should be structured in a way that allows students to build upon their knowledge and skills over time, and should be regularly updated to reflect the latest developments in their field. It should also provide students with the opportunity to gain practical experience through internships, capstone projects, and other hands-on learning opportunities.
Another important aspect of quality post-secondary education is access to the necessary resources and technology. This includes things like well-equipped laboratories and classrooms, access to online learning resources, and the availability of computers and other technology. By providing students with the tools they need to learn, post-secondary institutions can help ensure that they are able to fully engage with the material and develop the skills they need to succeed.
It should be noted Barbados as an English speaking country and, of course, belongs to Caricom, must take opportunities with other neighbour French and Spanish islands in order to grow and improve its post-secondary education. As a matter of fact, we are living in globalization nowadays, fortunately. However, all countries need to build the quality of their skilled workers, technicians, managers and professionals through a wide variety of expanded and higher quality post-secondary institutions.
Ultimately, the goal of quality post-secondary education is to prepare students for their future careers and help them become productive members of society. This means not only providing them with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in their chosen fields but also giving them the support and guidance they need to navigate the challenges of the working world. By focusing on these key elements, post-secondary institutions can provide their students with a high-quality education that sets them up for success.
