The Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission hosted an informal gathering for alumni in Montserrat on 20 September 2013. The occasion enabled alumni to share their experiences of how they have been using their Commonwealth Scholarships in dealing with the challenges facing Montserrat.
Gregory Julius (2008 Commonwealth Scholar from Montserrat, MA Policy Studies in Education, Institute of Education, London) explained that his scholarship has added another dimension to his work as a teacher, a profession he has worked in for 25 years.
Gregory benefitted from being able to work with tutors with expertise in the field, and found the opportunity to be studying with others from around the world provided him with a global perspective on policy issues.
His course has had practical benefits for other teachers in his country. ‘My MA training has enabled me to train and assist teachers in my school to become effective class teachers who can sustain high student performance.’
Gregory addressing stakeholders about the importance of education partnerships
One of Gregory’s responsibilities is to lead discussions and training forums that focus on school improvement plans. ‘One of the major outcomes is my deep involvement and support I can now give to other schools in the annual compilation of the School Self Evaluation Report. This informs the decision making process as well as formulating the type of policies that are vital to drive change.’
