A $150 Million Science Centre and a Brown’s Town Campus: Church Teachers’ College Sets Its Sights on University Status

• Church Teachers’ College in Mandeville planned to break ground on a $150-million science centre
• It has grown from 75 students in 1965 to more than 600
• It has opened its first off-site campus in Brown’s Town, St Ann
• The principal expected the Anglican Church to play a big role in paying for construction

Church Teachers’ College in Mandeville, founded with the “blessing and authority” of the Anglican Diocese of Jamaica, began its 50th anniversary celebrations with its sights set on university status and a major new building, the Jamaica Observer reported.

The college opened in September 1965 with 75 students. It now has more than 600, training teachers for secondary, primary and early childhood education, and runs an evening institute that prepares community members for CXC exams. It has computer labs that serve the community as well as students, and has opened its first off-site campus in Brown’s Town, St Ann. Through a partnership with Temple University in the US, it offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programmes.

Principal Dr Garth Anderson said: “that next level cannot be too far away. The next level has to be that university status.” He said upgrading infrastructure would be crucial, starting with a $150-million “state of the art science centre” on which ground would be broken that academic year. He made it clear the Anglican Church would be expected to play a big role in its construction. There were also discussions about a nursing school to “serve the community and to diversify what we are offering”.

Anderson said offerings would have to diversify beyond teacher education, but “We will not move away from our original mission.” About seven staff members were pursuing doctorates. Ministry of Education regional director Nadine Leachman urged colleges to align training with industry needs.

A college seeking university status needs buildings as much as programmes. A $150-million science centre, a second campus and a possible nursing school all mean construction, and much of the money is expected to come from the church. For Mandeville, a growing college means more students and staff needing rooms, flats and services near the campus, which supports local landlords and businesses. Church-owned institutions like this one are among the most valuable property a denomination holds, and expanding them is a long-term investment in the town.