Government Information Service

by Emmanuel H. Joseph
Government Information Service

Auto mechanics students at the Dominica State College have performed with exceptional distinction in this year’s City and Guilds of London International Examination. All ten students who sat the June 2009 London based examinations in technician certificate in motor vehicle engineering passed.

The students were tested in two critical auto mechanic areas – engine systems and chassis systems. Of the ten who took the engine systems examinations, eight received distinctions. For chassis systems, six received distinctions and four credits.

Ronnie George, Kashal Joseph, Sheldon Joseph, Dominic Valmond and Dyvon Vidal obtained distinctions in both engine systems and chassis systems.

The students who wrote the examinations have just completed the first year of a two year associates degree in motor vehicle engineering. Main lecturer in this programme, Reynold Bunche, attributed the results to GOD’s blessing and students’ hard work and commitment to excellence.

DSC officials have described the results as historic noting that it was the first time that there have been so many distinctions at one sitting. President of the DSC Hubert Charles believes the results underscore that the faculty of applied arts and technology continues to demonstrate high standards of teaching and learning.

He commended the staff and students and anticipates that they will continue to excel in the future while keeping the country’s development agenda in mind.

Mr. Charles went on further to promise the students a one week internship in Guadeloupe.

“I want to make you a promise that some of your will get an opportunity to go across to Guadeloupe because we are dialoguing with the Ministry of Education there. They have some rather excellent facilities and I believe that it would be good to, at least for a week, expose you to some of the very latest in auto-mechanical technology that you can be familiar with.”

This latest achievement by students of the DSC has dealt another major blow to sceptics and critics of the institution who have often questioned the quality of education provided at the school. However, these criticisms have been well received by officials of the college who have, over the years, recorded major achievements including several international awards from City and Guilds of the London Institute.

According to the Director of Continuing Education at the DSC, Merrill Matthew, the latest achievement serves as a statement of the quality of work done at the college.

“What this means for us is that is underscoring the quality teaching and learning that goes on at the Dominica State College. We are always striving to ensure that the quality of the teaching and learning at this institution is equal, if not better than what one obtains in the region. When we think of City and Guilds International, we need to understand that this is an examination body that is based in London but involves over eighty-six (86) countries in the world that do City and Guild Examinations so when our students perform at that level, we are talking about world class performance.”