Heroes of the school system

ANSTEY L Payne has been a technical/vocational teacher for the last 29 years and firmly believes these areas of education have not only been poorly treated, but totally neglected.

“The so-called experts who guide the decision makers overlook pertinent needs of technical education and training,” Payne told Newsday.

Payne said one only had to look at the workshop facilities in the secondary schools to see the level of importance the decision makers place on technical and vocational skills learning.

“Nothing is working or it’s obsolete. And everything else is associated with a poor workshop environment.”

He also said the development of technical teachers in their specialised subject area is non-existent, with most technical teachers still teaching the technologies of the 1970s to students in today’s technologically advanced world.

Currently assigned to the Chaguanas Senior Comprehen-sive school, Payne said as a recommendation towards improving tech/voc education, he submitted a report on technical education to the Ministry of Education in 1995.

In that report, he said he emphasised the need for technical teachers to have specialised degrees and for courses offered at the John Donaldson and San Fernando Technical Institutes to be linked to similar courses at local and foreign Universities to raise the level to degree status.

He said the time had long past for local schools to offer degree programmes in specialised technical subjects, like automotive technology, welding, textiles, building and drafting to name a few.

As a result he lives for the day when he would see the above become reality.

Payne has conducted classes at UWI School of Continuing Studies and the Extra-Mural department.

He holds a technical teachers’ diploma and full technological certificate in vehicle engineering.

In 2000, he was invited to England to assist in the planning and judging of the National Automotive Engineering Technicians skills competitions. He is also a member of the Institute of Board Transport Engineers (MIRTE), the Society of Operations Engineers (MSOE), the Institute of Motor Industry (MIME) and the local Human Resources Management Association.

Unable to pinpoint the most memorable experience in his career, Payne said he continues to be impressed with the fact that he accepts students into his classes at the age of fifteen plus, who do not know their two time tables and can hardly read, but yet they reach a level where they can pass national exams in two years.

Described as a man who would beg for used parts for his students to study and practise on, Payne once made arrangements for students in one of his classes to spend two full weeks in the Ground Transport Maintenance workshop at national airline, BWIA. The students got the opportunity to work with experienced mechanics.

An active member of the teachers union, TTUTA, Payne is also involved in cultural events, having served as a drama tutor and judge for the Best Village programme and Traditions of Carnival.