‘BRIDGING THE FUTURE’ TO HELP STUDENTS

FOR the past six years Summer Arts Immersion (SAi) has hosted an intensive arts programme for high school seniors and graduates as a preparatory experience for university studies or a career in the arts.

This scholarship-based opportunity has engaged over 100 students from Nassau, Eleuthera, Grand Bahama, Andros, Long Island, and Abaco who have worked under more than 27 Caribbean creative professionals as instructors, teaching assistants, guest artists, and scholars.

Hosted from July 17–21 at the Bahamas Technical & Vocational Institute (BTVI), this year’s programme was led by artist and designer Philece Roberts who worked alongside animator and art educator Jason Evans to co-facilitate drawing and painting classes.

Roberts said: “The combination of exceptional talent, vulnerability, and willingness to learn from their teachers and classmates made them an extremely special group. Co-teaching this year allowed us to support and challenge the students in a unique way that offered a blended classroom experience which is very different from how art is taught in schools.”

Former SAi student Charisma Perigord, who has been a part of the programme since 2019 and is currently a sophomore at the University of The Bahamas, worked alongside both instructors as a teaching assistant.

“After being a SAi student for five years, I found it enlightening to experience art-making through the lens of a teacher. I gained a lot of knowledge from the instructors who were very perceptive to the students’ needs and incredibly resourceful. I learned how to explain new art techniques and how to draw creativity out of the students.”

Over the past three years, SAi has explored themes that have been tied explicitly to the student artwork. This year’s focus, ‘Bridging The Future’, was coined by founder Keisha Oliver, who said intergenerational bridging was the impetus for SAi in 2018.

She said: “It is rooted in our organisational, curricula, and conceptual frameworks. Our vision for blending art-making and community building has always asked the questions, how and what can be realised when experience and innovation across different generations come together; and what Bahamian cultural traditions can be preserved through arts education.”

An integral part of this year’s programme was the launch of a mentorship initiative. Each student was paired with a Bahamian artist whose work, artistic style, or use of materials bore similarity.

Mentors included: June Collie, Jason Evans, Steffon Grant, Dyah Neilson, Jordon Ritchie, Philece Roberts, Allan P Wallace, and Durelle Williams who reviewed the student’s work, advised on future career and college options while sharing their creative professional journey.

On Saturday, July 22, SAi hosted its annual showcase and awards ceremony to recognise the participation of new students Shaiel Curry, Madison Cartwright, Logan Forbes, Judah Knowles, Nariah Pride, Jaá Rolle and returning students Reory Fox and Annalise Smith.

Entitled ‘Imprint’, the art exhibition included foundation compositions produced under the direction of instructors and conceptual paintings that students developed independently with instructor and mentor supervision. Forbes, Fox, Rolle, and Smith received awards for their performance and final pieces. Aquinas College senior Jaá Rolle was awarded the SAI 2023 Conceptual Composition Prize for her piece ‘Unceasing Admiration’, an abstract portrait that pays homage to Bahamian Master artist Stanley Burnside.

Rolle said: “I created this painting to immortalise Burnside’s contributions to Bahamian culture, I loved how he incorporates our country’s history into his artwork.”

SAi 2023 was made possible through a BTVI partnership and sponsorship through the Pictet Group Foundation.

GN-2908

Applicants are advised that it is their responsibility to provide certified proof of all relevant academic and professional qualifications and school experience.

Applicants must submit a Letter of Interest and an Applicant Information Form, along with supporting documents, copied to their Head of Department, not later than 27 July, 2023

All candidates should submit their documents to https://forms.office.com/r/GUgHwdcigR by the deadline.

APPLICATIONS TENDERED AFTER THE STIPULATED DEADLINE AND WITHOUT THE REQUISITE DOCUMENTS ARE DEEMED INCOMPLETE AND UNACCEPTABLE.

Secretary Public Service Commission

VACANCY FOR SUBJECT SECRETARY – MODERN LANGUAGES

SCALE: SED6

EXAMINATION & ASSESSMENT DIVISION, NEW PROVIDENCE

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING

Letters of Interest and completed Applicant’s Information Forms are invited from suitably qualified Bahamians presently serving in the Public or Private School Systems to fill the post of Subject Secretary – Modern Languages, (Spanish and French) Examination and Assessment Division, Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training, for the beginning of the 2023/2024 academic year.

Please note that this position will not be filled if the anticipated vacancy does not materialize

Requirements for the post:

1. A Bachelor’s Degree in Education/Modern Languages (Spanish and French);

2. Professional Teaching Qualification from an approved institution;

3. A minimum of ten (10) years of experience as a Trained Teacher;

4. A minimum of five (5) years of experience as a National Examiner; and

5. Be Computer literate and have undergone training in Pre and Post Examination Procedures.

The successful candidate will be expected to:

• Have a sound knowledge of the processes in educational assessment;

• Have a general knowledge and understanding of the various assessment practices used in the development of BJC and BGCSE examinations in Modern Languages (Spanish and French);

• Have demonstrated the ability to effectively and efficiently plan, develop, monitor and evaluate the implementation of High School instructional programmes; and

• Possess a high level of administrative competence, interpersonal, organizational, written and oral skills and be a strong team motivator.

Specific duties of the post include:

• Offer professional advice on all matters concerning the subjects and maintain and ensure quality and efficiency of the examinations under his/her supervision;

• Advise the Assistant Director of Education, Examination and Assessment Division on all matters concerning BJC Spanish and French and BGCSE Spanish and French including training of examiners, syllabus development, question paper development, and all other matters related to the conduct and development of examinations;

• Act as secretary to subject committees on question paper development, question paper moderation, marking, grading, grade reviews and syllabi revision;

• Ensure that subject reports on the examinations are prepared according to schedules determined within the division;

• Coordinate the training of markers for the examinations under his/her supervision to ensure ongoing development of examiners to meet the needs of the division;

• Assist with the selection of persons as Chief Paper Setters, Paper Setters, Chief Markers, Team Leaders and Markers;

• Develop, maintain and keep current an item bank of quality items for inclusion in future question papers;

• Liaise with Curriculum Officers and coordinate and assume responsibility for the revision and implementation of all Curriculum and Syllabus material appropriate to the examination;

• Liaise with Cambridge International Examinations on all pre-examination activities leading to the accreditation of subjects under supervision; and

• Keep under constant review current trends in test development and scoring techniques and where appropriate adapt such changes to the local system;

• Advise and assist in school-based test development workshops and seminars for the professional and academic development of teachers and administrators; and

• Complete any other duties that may be assigned by the appropriate education authorities within the Department of Education.

The salary of the post is in Scale SED6 $35,400 to $46,600 per annum (September 2016 Salary Scales).

Documents that MUST be submitted are: i. A Letter of Interest, with the applicant’s authentic signature, indicating the specific post, scale and island for which the applicant wishes to be considered; ii. A completed Applicant’s Information Form, with the applicant’s authentic signature; iii. Certified copies of all academic and professional documents (see Requirements for the post); iv. A letter from the Ministry of the Public Service, confirming the applicant’s appointment to his/her current substantive post; v. Two Letters of Reference are required from External Applicants supporting teaching and national examinations experience, and vi. A recent passport-sized photograph (no more than 2”x2”) – copied on to the Information Form or the Letter of Interest.

Applicants are advised that it is their responsibility to provide certified proof of all relevant academic and professional qualifications and school experience.

Applicants must submit a Letter of Interest and an Applicant Information Form, along with supporting documents, copied to their Head of Department, not later than 27 July, 2023

All candidates should submit their documents to https://forms.office.com/r/GUgHwdcigR by the deadline.

APPLICATIONS TENDERED AFTER THE STIPULATED DEADLINE AND WITHOUT THE REQUISITE DOCUMENTS ARE DEEMED INCOMPLETE AND UNACCEPTABLE.

Secretary Permanent Secretary

MINISTER of State for Legal Affairs Jomo Campbell helping out with the distribution of Super Value gift certificates recently.