NEWLY appointed Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, has introduced a bold new initiative, geared towards improving performance levels in Mathematics and English at the Caribbean Entrance Examination Certificate (CSEC).
According to Minister Manickchand, the pilot project will be implemented in 32 selected schools from several regions, over the next five months, and will include intense interactions among students, parents and the teachers of the two critical subject areas, with the Education Ministry being the facilitating body.
This is one of the new minister’s initiatives, geared towards transforming the country’s Education Sector.
The project was launched yesterday as the minister met with the various subject teachers, heads of department and education officers at the National Centre for Education and Resource Development (NCERD).
Alluding to the details of the project, she said, “This project is aimed at taking up percentage passes in Mathematics and English by at least 20 percent in the next five months, and we are going to make sure you and the children have all the resources you need, for the next five months. If we stick to this programme, with the resources, we could see at least a 20 per cent increase in the national pass mark.
The minister explained that each of the 4,000 students and their teachers, who form part of the programme, will be given the necessary tools, including texts, study guides, revision DVDs, combined past papers from 2008 to 2011, and the stationery needed to make the project a success.
As to the need for such action, Manickchand highlighted that, though the education sector has seen large investments from the government, there still have not been the corresponding results proportionate to the investments made, particularly in core subjects like Mathematics and English, even though the English results over the past two years have been quite impressive.
“If children cannot matriculate in these two subject areas, a lot of doors are going to be closed to them. We need to make sure this changes, and part of the problem may be because confidence level as a country is low, because we have been doing so poorly in the area.”
In this regard, Minister Manickchand, emphasized that for the programme to be successful, all stakeholders need to be fully committed to the task at hand.
She said, “This is only going to work though the collaborative effort of all involved, it is a partnership among the teachers, the government, parents and the students. I believe that if you have all of the resources and our kids have all of the resources, it is possible in the next five months; it is up to us to show the world and the country that if you put the effort in, with the support of the government with resources, good grades in Mathematics and English are possible.
Minister Manickchand, reiterated the Education Ministry’s support towards the success of the pilot project and expressed the confidence that, with the commitment required, it can become a model for the rest of the Caribbean.
Decisive Factors
According to the minister, the 32 schools chosen are among those which recorded exemplary results at the 2010- 2011 CESC Examinations, and the teachers there would have also received training in Mathematics and English.
Alluding to the advantages of this, she said, “This indicated that those schools had a foundation on which to work. The children working in 2012 already have the foundation, and with the added work during the next five months, they will be able to pass the two subjects. Anything you do consistently for five months, you will see results, I know this will work.”
The 32 schools involved in the programme were chosen from Regions 2 (Pomeroon/ Supenaam), 3 (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), 4 (Demerara/ Mahaica ), 5 (Mahaica /Berbice ), 6 (East Berbice /Corentyne), 7 (Cuyuni Mazaruni), 9(Upper Takatu/ Upper Essequibo) and 10 (Upper Demerara/ Upper Berbice ) .
Minister Manickchand and a team from the Education Ministry will be conducting a series of visit to the selected schools over the next few days, to impress upon those involved the importance of full participation in the pilot project.
Source: http://guyanachronicle.com/2011/12/16/minister-manickchand-launches-bold-new-education-initiative