The school board of Selma City Schools announced that six teachers in the system had earned business and industry certification at a meeting on Tuesday.

Four of them are instructors of Selma High School while the other two are from R.B. Hudson Middle School. Students of both schools will now have teachers who are equipped in areas of business management and administration, business technology applications, computer essentials, cooperative education, finance and marketing.

Career Technical Director of Selma High School Timothy Strong said the teachers had been working toward the certification for five years.

“They met the requirements set by the state as far as curriculum, equipment and personal certifications. It lets us know we are in line with any system in the state of Alabama because we all have the same guidelines,” Strong said.

He said he believes students will benefit from the new skills their teachers will be able to offer them in the classroom.

“This helps our students to be able to compete with any student in the state of Alabama in the business department because of these certifications,” Strong said.

The State Department of Education will do a review in two and a half years to determine if skills are being exercised in the curriculum within classroom settings. Certifications will last for five years and afterwards the process starts over for any teachers who want to renew certification and any new teachers who would like to obtain it for the first time.

Selma City Schools Superintendent Dr. Angela Mangum said she believes the programs will introduce students to a variety of new and improved skills.

“I’m very excited about the certifications we have in career technical education. I think it will benefit students greatly in preparing them with skills that are useable in the workplace,” Mangum said.

President of the board Henry Hicks Sr. said he believes the certifications of the programs will help teachers to advance the school system.

“These teachers are embarking upon professional development and getting the training they need to enhance our children,” Hicks said.