IVONNE DRYSDALE
Director of Continuing Education and Extramural Studies
Department of Continuing Education and Extra Mural Studies
CEMS remains relevant because of its commitment to students who wish to further their education by engaging in evening and weekend classes, that otherwise would be rather difficult due to job and family obligations or lack of opportunity. CEMS facilitates such individuals by the various programmes that it offers both in the evenings and on weekends. Our dedicated staff comprises over sixty (60) highly qualified part time lecturers, administrators, and coordinators. We have thus sought to forge strong collaborative frameworks that will contribute to increasing the pool of certified individuals across Jamaica and beyond our shores.
DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
I take this opportunity to warmly welcome you to the Department of Continuing Education and Extra-Mural Studies (CEMS) at the College of Agriculture, Science, and Education (CASE). At CEMS we recognize that the educational landscape has changed, and in order to cater to the needs of an ever-changing student population, education is no longer confined to the traditional space and time that was the norm just a few decades ago. In order to survive the very competitive environment, we have to adapt and provide tertiary education at strategic locations with flexible instruction times, programmes that are relevant to the needs of our society, and to you, our valued customers. We employ teaching modalities that cater to the techno-savvy student of today’s world.
This has been more so highlighted by the advent of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19 pandemic. We have faced the challenge and quickly adapted and have made use of the available technology that has enabled our students not only to survive, but to thrive academically in what has been unchartered territory. Though we face many challenges, we are committed to providing quality education to our clients and thus fulfill our motto” Creating Opportunities for Growth”.
OFFSITE LOCATIONS
We currently have established our presence in several locations. There are two fixed sites at Ebony Park, Clarendon, and Brown’s Town Community College, St. Ann. We have recently added another site at Morant Bay, St. Thomas. We have also established franchise arrangements at the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College, Montego Bay Community College, Bethlehem Moravian College, St. Elizabeth, Church Teachers College, Manchester, and Shortwood Teachers College, St. Andrew. We are also poised to open additional sites in Kingston.
PROGRAMMES OFFERED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF CONTINUING EDUCATION AND EXTRA MURAL STUDIES
CEMS offers programmes across our three faculties, the Faculty of Education and Management, Faculty of Food and Agriculture and the Faculty of Science Engineering and Technology.