Following discussion Thursday with head of various schools from Regions 3, 4, 7 and 10 at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD), new Education Minister Priya Manickchand visited Region 3 where she met with parents, students and teachers from several schools, including Leonora, Stewartville and Zeeburg Secondary.
The meeting was aimed at informing students and parents about the new initiative being undertaken by the government through the Ministry, to further improve students’ performance at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate, in mathematics and English.
Minister Manickchand said that the programme, which is being piloted in 32 secondary schools, is aimed “to improve the mathematics and English performance nationally…the schools were selected based on their previous results at the examination (CSEC) which shows that they have a foundation that could propel us to an average pass rate to about 50/60 percent”.
She said each student in the identified schools will be supplied with all the relevant learning materials, including scientific calculators, math and English text books, past examination papers, revision DVDs and geometry sets.
Teachers too, will be provided with special curriculum guides and syllabuses.
“In the remaining four months before the CSEC, we are hoping to focus on the areas where students have been the weakest …and I am confident that this new pilot programme will bear fruit,” Minister Manickchand said.
She urged parents and students to combine their efforts with government’s in making the programme a reality.
In an invited comment to the Government Information Agency, Minister Manickchand said that the feedbacks received from parents, teachers and students were positive.
“Once this programme works, it will be rolled out to every single secondary, starting from the Form Four, (grade 10)…based on the feedback teachers were hungry for this type of initiative, teachers are so passionate to see their students doing well,” said Minister Manickchand.
The Education Minister also met with teachers from the region, where she addressed several issues including furniture and the teaching curriculum.
Minister Manickchand visited schools in Region 2 today to meet with parents and teachers.
Source: http://guyanachronicle.com/2011/12/17/minister-manickchand-visits-region-3-schools-involved-in-new-pilot-project