As small Caribbean nations work to modernize their public education systems, Suriname’s Institute for Teacher Training (IOL) has kicked off a fundamental reimagining of its Physical Education (PE) teacher preparation program, centered on a critical question: what kind of PE educator does the country need for its future classrooms?
Education experts and stakeholders gathered for a recent workshop focused on laying the groundwork for a new Associate Degree (AD) in Physical Education, which will run alongside IOL’s existing bachelor’s program in the field. Over 40 participants including current PE teachers, school principals, subject matter specialists and representatives from regional education boards collaborated to draft a forward-looking professional profile for the next generation of PE teachers.
Program coordinator Kathlyn Hasselbaink framed the launch of the AD program as a rare opportunity to not just add a new credential, but to rethink the core purpose of PE teaching in Suriname. “A training program does not start with a list of courses—it starts with defining what kind of professional you want to graduate,” Hasselbaink explained. The new AD program is specifically designed to train practice-focused educators ready to step directly into roles in primary education and the lower years of secondary school, so stakeholders first need to clarify what core knowledge and skills set this qualification apart from the existing bachelor’s degree, and build the entire curriculum around those priorities.
Unlike many traditional school subjects, PE uniquely integrates motor skill development, social growth, emotional learning and public health promotion into one curriculum, explained Ivan Fernald, a lecturer in exercise physiology and training science at IOL. He emphasized that updating the professional profile for PE teachers must start with acknowledging this unique role of the subject in schools, and the specific competencies PE educators need that differ from other teaching roles. Beyond core pedagogical and instructional skills, Fernald noted that modern PE teachers must master subject-specific technical knowledge, motor proficiency, improvisational skill for adapting activities to diverse groups, differentiated instruction techniques, and empathetic communication to support all students.
A key point of discussion centered on repositioning PE as a fully academically valid core subject, rather than a non-graded extracurricular activity. Fernald argued that PE should be assessed based on concrete, measurable learning outcomes, just like mathematics, languages or economics. To do this successfully, he added, the entire training structure must align: professional profile, program goals, learning objectives, graduation requirements, curriculum structure, learning materials, instructional methods, and assessment frameworks all need to work in lockstep to support consistent outcomes.
The workshop also highlighted the ongoing challenges facing PE in Suriname’s primary schools, which threaten the long-term impact of any training reform. Fernald shared that in the Zorg en Hoop district, fewer than half of all primary schools have access to a specialized, trained PE teacher. Many schools also lack adequate gym facilities, quality sports equipment, and other basic infrastructure needed to run a robust PE program. Despite growing research showing PE makes a critical contribution to public health, youth social development, self-discipline and broader community cohesion, Fernald noted the societal value of the subject is still widely underappreciated across the country.
Over the course of the workshop, five working groups led by facilitator Michael Watson finalized a draft professional profile for PE teachers that will be in service by 2030. The profile integrates deep subject matter expertise with core modern competencies including pedagogical leadership, inclusive instruction, public health promotion, digital teaching skills, cross-stakeholder collaboration and ethical professional practice. The outcomes from the workshop will now serve as the foundational framework for developing the full curriculum for the new AD program, which will advance Suriname’s goal of upgrading its education workforce to meet 21st century needs.