A 15-member cohort of aspiring teachers was welcomed yesterday by the Ministry of Education officials, coinciding with the official opening of the Cook Islands Teacher Development Training Centre.

The centre has been a long time coming for the Ministry of Education, which planned it to address major challenges such as teacher shortages and the need for quality education.

New Zealand’s University of Waikato is the official programme provider for the Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) and the Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary or Secondary). 

The centre will be headed by former principal of Tereora College, Mona Ngaau.

One of the new trainees, Lamais Julian, who is fresh out of Tereora College, says being a teacher has been her dream.

She is “honoured” to be amongst the first cohort for the centre.

“I’m very grateful that I was accepted and very grateful for this opportunity and I’m honestly happy and excited and I can’t wait,” Julian said.

Read more about Julian and her fellow recruits in tomorrow’s edition.