A unit to diagnose young people’s learning difficulties and job aptitude and a nursing degree course in elderly care were announced today as the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill embarks on new initiatives to assist both young and old people.
The initiatives are in keeping with UWI’s mandate to find solutions to challenges facing the people of the Caribbean, Cave Hill Principal and Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Eudine Barriteau said as she addressed the official groundbreaking ceremony for a new hall of residence.
She said the university was about to make a determined effort to get to the root of the issues currently confronting the region’s young people.
“It is well established that our students are facing challenges within the school environment, which oftren manifest as poor academic performance, deviance and other forms of disruptive behaviour.
“Therefore, our School of Education, led by Director of Education, Professor Joel Warrican, will shortly introduce a Unit for Clinical Assessment, which will assess students to help identify any psychological and educational issues that may be impeding their progress.
“This unit will work with ministries of education and national colleges in Barbados and the Caribbean, and will become part of the referral system for students with special needs. Identifying learning challenges at an early stage and tackling them will enable the unit to help students enhance their chances of learning and experience greater success in their acdemic lives.
“It will also assist with investigations that are merit-based on student performance and behaviour, and undertake psychometric testing of adults for job placement.”
For the elderly, Professor Barriteau said the Faculty of Medical Sciences will introduce a new Masters Degree programme in Nursing that will focus on Gerontology.
“This process will start in September this year with some short courses on diabetes management and geriatric care, and eventually this will become a full-fledged Master of Science in Nursing specialising in Gerontology.
“The short courses will be offered over a three-month or twelve-week period. Further training in the gerontology programme will include specialised nursing care of the elderly; pharmacological management in elderly care; professional, legal and ethical practice in specialised nursing practice; specialised nursing management of elderly persons with acute and chronic disease, and specialised clinical nursing practicum in gerontology.”
