Veteran educationist, Claude Johnson, is a ‘Special Person’

“People would ask me how I could spend so long in education, but once you enjoy something and do something that you love, you don’t mind being around it. Yes, it’s work, but it’s something that gives you immense pleasure. And I have no regrets. I am not a wealthy man, in financial terms, but I am tremendously satisfied that I have played a major role in developing my people, because a quality education is perhaps the greatest gift you could give to a child.”

By Leon Suseran

Claude Grenville Fitzpatrick Johnson has been in the education system for over 37 years. A seasoned teacher, CPCE Lecturer, Headmaster and Education Officer, he has a wealth of experience.

Claude Johnson

Born at Number 51 Village, Corentyne, Young Claude initially lived with his grandparents since his father, Cledwin Heyliger, was employed by a Manganese Company in Matthew’s Ridge. He also worked in Kwakwani and Linden with the Bauxite Company.
“By and large, my mother, Claire Latina Johnson, was based on the Corentyne, but between 1966 and 1968, I attended school in Matthew’s Ridge. We relocated to the Corentyne when the Manganese Company closed down. I then attended the Skeldon Line Path Secondary School in 1968.
Claude recalled having to travel 38 miles per day to and from school, “and as I got closer to fifth form, life got a little harder for us, because you used to encounter a lot of drought and once the farm didn’t do well, it meant that life was going to be a bit hard.”

A CAREER IN TEACHING
After completing his secondary education, he embarked on a career in teaching, at the age of seventeen, at the Leeds Primary School (Secondary Department). He recounted that jobs in the public service were available, “and easy for somebody to get who left high school with GCE subjects.”
“Teachers had a relatively high status and they were highly respected.”
After teaching for two years, he migrated to Georgetown to attend the Teachers’ Training College. He graduated as a Trained Social Studies teacher after which he returned to Leeds where he spent another nine years working. He subsequently attended the University of Guyana in 1987 where he commenced reading for his Bachelor of Education Degree. During this time, he taught at Winfer Gardens Primary after which he spent a brief period at the now defunct Alleyne’s High School, “because they were looking for a Geography teacher and I really wanted to teach at a secondary school proper.”
After his UG studies, he returned to Berbice and was employed at Tagore Memorial Secondary in 1991. He was then promoted to Skeldon High – as Senior Master – where he spent an additional four years.
Mr. Johnson was one of the few in those years selected to study in the Ministry of Education’s Officers’ Cadet Programme Scheme in 1996. He thoroughly enjoyed this programme, in which he spent two years.
“It was there I think I learned about education administration, because all along I was essentially a classroom practitioner, so this programme equipped me with the kind of knowledge and skills to function as an education administrator. During the programme, I conducted stints at the education department in Berbice as well.”

A family portrait with his wife, two daughters and their niece.

He was also pivotal to the establishment of the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) Rose Hall, Berbice Centre, where he assisted in writing modules for the start-up of that institution. He lectured there from 1995 to 2004.
After completing the cadet programme, he was appointed Deputy Headteacher at Winifred Gaskin Memorial Secondary, and later, Headteacher of JC Chandisingh Secondary, in 1999. He was the youngest headteacher at the time in Region Six at 42.
“It was a challenge and I had the energy.”
During that period, he was seconded to the Department of Education in New Amsterdam as an Education Officer.
“Technically I was still head of the school until 2005 when I was officially appointed as Education Officer.” His job would now entail him being out of the classroom and school system and venturing out to a more fieldwork-driven setting as an Education Officer.
“I loved being in the classroom, it’s a place where all the action happens. The Ministry of Education can have all these glorious policies, but if we do not transfer them to the classroom setting, we won’t achieve much.”
He is also a seasoned CXC Marker. He served as Assistant Examiner since 1994 until 2011. He misses that job today, “because it kept me tuned with what’s happening with the exams.”
In 2009, he was transferred to Region Ten as Regional Education Officer (acting). He served there for a few years but the dusty environment affected him a lot so he eventually moved back to Berbice. He also spent a month serving in that capacity in Region Five.
Currently, Mr. Johnson is serving as Education Officer on contract attached to the Department of Education, Region Six.

REFLECTIONS
Reflecting on his work as a teacher, Mr. Johnson remembers Christmas concerts and other cultural events, as well as athletic sports. “I was a pretty good sprinter in those days” and was, at one time, Berbice’s 200m Champion! His initial stint as a primary school teacher in Grade Six, he recalled, was also interesting.
”My most glorious moments as a teacher came at Skeldon High School.” He recalled that the school at that time was not one of the performing schools. He worked assiduously with a batch of Fourth Formers, and that “really put us on the map because the school had a lot of qualified and committed teachers.” The school’s results were lifted as a consequence of the effort, thus bringing satisfaction in 1993 to Mr. Johnson and his colleagues.
He lauded the Ministry of Education’s efforts in giving the lowly-placed schools (like Skeldon High) in Guyana more resources. “I think the Minister is spot-on in that regard.”

Busy in office at the Department of Education, Region Six

Mr. Johnson recalled that as a Head teacher at JC Chandisingh Secondary, he would always love to get away from his office to go and teach, “because teaching is my first love.”
“People would ask me how I could spend so long in education, but once you enjoy something and do something that you love, you don’t mind being around it. Yes, it’s work, but it’s something that gives you immense pleasure. And I have no regrets. I am not a wealthy man, in financial terms, but I am tremendously satisfied that I have played a major role in developing my people, because a quality education is perhaps the greatest gift you could give to a child.”
He recounted, as an Education Officer, having visited numerous schools and conducting countless supervisory activities. “I was able to bring with me a wealth of experience as a teacher into the job of an education officer. They are linked. I have always sought to empathize with teachers, because I have been there and done a bit and seen it all, as they say, and I believe that I am in a fortunate position to understand what’s happening in the minds of teachers at various levels.”
He has always seen his role as being a helping one.
“I find no pleasure in castigating people—to prove that I am the one having the authority and you (the teacher) as being less. My role as an officer is to help teachers to grow…My work becomes easier and everybody benefits.”
“Sometimes my colleagues might have seen me as being patronizing, but it worked for me, and I feel that when I finally leave this job, I can walk with my head high and I don’t think I would have stepped on too many people’s toes unnecessarily.”
Claude Johnson has given a lot to the education system in Guyana. He is a humble and hardworking son of the soil in Berbice and a community worker, as well as a loving father and dedicated husband. He is married to another veteran educator, Mrs. Yvette Johnson, current Head teacher of Skeldon Line Path Secondary. They have four daughters: Kesha Johnson-Richards, a Curriculum Specialist at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) in Georgetown; Jenelle Johnson, a teacher, and Shonnique Johnson and Janica Johnson.

ADVICE
Mr. Johnson not only urges young teachers to get qualified, but to acquire the skills and knowledge required to make them effective classroom practitioners and sharpen those skills over time.
“Older teachers need to re-tool to keep abreast with innovations; to make a study of the learners. Learners today are more complex than those encountered during my time.”

Receiving an award for outstanding performance as an Education Officer from former Region Six Chairman, Kumkarran Ramdass

For his fellow education officers, Mr. Johnson, having spent a considerable amount of time in the teaching profession, advises that they spend more time in the schools.
“The presence of an education officer should be coercive. We should go in the schools and we should focus a lot more on curriculum. Looking at teaching methodologies is also essential as is keeping a close eye on discipline, because an indisciplined child cannot optimize learning.”
“Ultimately, the education system is judged on results and we should encourage our charges as well to get involved in other co-curricular areas which enhance school life, because a teacher or students must not see a school as a prison. It must be a place where something meaningful takes place—something that will help to move this country and ourselves forward.”
When he is not working at the department, Mr. Johnson is an active community leader as well as a Vestry Member in his church, St. Mary’s Anglican in Leeds. He enjoys cricket and loves watching games being played in his community.
Mr. Johnson is currently working with an overseas-based Guyanese and retired Educator, Mrs. Dorsette, to organize remedial Early School Leavers programmes – for dropouts and slow learners – in the Leeds-Number 53 Village area. He would also give inspirational talks to youngsters. He envisages devoting more time to these activities after he fully retires.