The Ministry of Education this month launched its Hinterland Education Improvement Project (HEIP) in Lethem, Region Nine which kick-started a series of public consultations aimed at informing a five-year action plan.

More than 300 parents, teachers and students from Kumu, Kaicumbay, Arapaima, MocoMoco, Quarrie, Yupukari, Fly Hill, Katoka, Hiawa, St Ignatius, Quatata, Nappi and Parishara assembled on June 9th at the St Ignatius Benab in Lethem for the launching, the ministry said in a press release.

In her address, Education Minister Priya Manickchand underscored government’s commitment to the continuous improvement of the education sector in the hinterland noting that over the last 20 years it had grappled with reducing the disparity that existed between those areas and the coast.

“Last year 15.9 percent of the national budget was spent on education. This year 13 percent has been allocated, and we most likely will be spending more than that on the sector this year,” she said. Manickchand also recalled that in 1992, five per cent of the national budget – which was a much smaller budget– was spent on education compared with this year’s sum.

The ministry recognises that more attention needs to be given to the quality of education delivered in the hinterland with specific focus on learning outcomes. The HEIP was formulated to determine the gaps that exist in providing quality education and good learning outcomes. It consists of five components: Improving the quality of Teacher Education in the Hinterland; Aligning Teaching-Learning Resources to Improve Students’ Outcomes; Improving Physical Facilities; Fostering Community Alliances and Strengthening Management and Supervision in the Hinterland.

Through support from government and international organisations, a number of programmes were introduced all of which had components that targeted the hinterland areas, largely focusing on improving access and participation, Manickchand said. Some of these included the Primary Education Improvement Project (PEIP); Secondary School Reform Programme (SSRP), for which St Ignatius Secondary was a pilot; Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Programme (GBETT); Basic Education Access Management Support (BEAMS) programme; and Education for All-Fast Track Initiatives (EFA-FTI).

“In 1994, there were 131 schools across the levels in the hinterland regions. Today there are approximately 250 schools in the hinterland across the levels. The ministry and government, with international support, constructed over 50 schools across all levels half of which are in the hinterland. This means that at least two schools were being built in a given hinterland region per year. There has been a significant increase in the number of secondary schools in the hinterland. In 1994, there were five secondary schools and today there are 12.

Other initiatives, such as the school feeding programme which was designed to improve students’ attendance/participation in schools has also succeeded. “… student attendance increased from 64% in 1994 to 81% in 2014.” Today, Region Nine also boasts two types of school feeding programmes; the hot meal and the cassava-bread and peanut butter snack.

Manickchand said too that the hinterland now boasts a larger number of trained teachers across all sectors, moving from 40% in 1994 to 51% in 2014. Hinterland teachers are also given support through the establishment of learning resource centres. According to the minister, a baseline study conducted in 2005 revealed that only 38% of the clusters in the hinterland had learning resource centres, today 92% of the clusters now have learning resource centres with 90% of the teachers utilising these facilities.

“Teacher accommodation has also been addressed over the years revealing that since 2000 when only 15% of hinterland schools had teachers’ houses; today 90% of the schools have teachers’ houses,” she said.

Hinterland schools also have more access to water, electricity and good sanitation facilities. To date, 83% of schools in the hinterland have access to potable water and 45% access to electricity. 90% of schools have sanitary facilities; a vast improvement from 2001 where only 42% of schools had sanitary blocks and 27% and 13% had access water, electricity facilities respectively.

During the three-day visit, Manickchand and senior ministry officials visited St Ignatius, Sand Creek, Macushi, Toka, Massara, Aranaputa, Annai and Wowetta. The ministry will be visiting regions One, Seven and Eight in the coming months to continue these public consultations in an effort to formulate a comprehensive action plan targeting the areas earmarked.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/news/guyana/06/30/hinterland-education-project-launched-region-nine/

Recognizing the need for the delivery of quality education in hinterland communities, the Ministry of Education, this past week, launched its Hinterland Education Improvement Project (HEIP).

The activity got underway at the St. Ignatius Benab Lethem, Region Nine, on Monday. The event commenced a series of public consultations to be held throughout the hinterland region designed to assist the MOE to gather information that will serve to inform a five-year action plan for HEIP.

The Hinterland Education Improvement Project (HEIP) consists of five components which are improving the quality of teacher education in the hinterland-aligning, teaching-learning resources to improve students’ outcomes, improving physical facilities, fostering community alliances and management and supervision in the hinterland.
During the three-day visit, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and senior officers from the Ministry visited St. Ignatius, Sand Creek, Macushi, Toka, Massara, Aranaputa, Annai and Wowetta communities in Region 9. More than 300 parents, teachers and students from Kumu, Kaicumbay, Arapaima, MocoMoco, Quarrie, Yupukari, Fly Hill, Katoka, Hiawa, St. Ignatius, Quatata, Nappi and Parishara turned out.

The Minister and team heard from the villagers, teachers, parents and students about how the delivery of education can be improved with a view to improving learning outcomes.
Regarding access to education and teacher training in the Hinterland, the Ministry recognises that more emphasis needs to be placed on the quality of education delivered in the Hinterland as a whole with specific attention being paid to learning outcomes.

HEIP was formulated to determine the gaps that exist in providing quality education and good learning outcomes.
Delivering remarks at the launch of HEIP, Minister Manickchand underscored that the unrivaled commitment of the Government towards the continuous improvement of the education sector, particularly within the hinterland regions.

“Throughout the years, the PPP-Civic administration has continuously made significant investments in the education sector in an effort to improve the quality of education we provide to children of this nation.
“Last year 15.9 percent of the national budget was spent on education. This year 13 percent has been allocated, and we most likely will be spending more than that on the sector this year,” the Minister said.
Focusing on the development of the sector in the hinterland regions, the Minister observed that during the past 20 years, the government has grappled with ways to reduce the disparity that existed between the hinterland and the coastal regions as it relates to education.

She said that through support from Government and international organisations, a number of programmes were launched, all of which had components that targeted hinterland regions, largely focusing on improving access and participation.

Some of these projects are Primary Education Improvement Project (PEIP); Secondary School Reform Programme (SSRP), for which St. Ignatius Secondary was a pilot; Guyana Basic Education Teacher Training Programme (GBETT); Basic Education Access Management Support (BEAMS) programme; and Education for All-Fast Track Initiatives (EFA-FTI).
The Minster said that as a result of the continuous efforts of the Government of Guyana in collaboration with the MOE, a number of key areas within the hinterland education establishment have significantly improved.
“In 1994, there were 131 schools across the levels in the hinterland regions.  Today there are approximately 250 schools in the hinterland.”

The MOE through the Government and international support has since constructed more than 50 schools, half of which are in the hinterland regions.

“The School Feeding Programme (SFP) for hinterland schools was designed to improve attendance/participation in schools. As a consequence, student attendance increased from 64% in 1994 to 81% in 2014.  Today, Region Nine is the only hinterland region with two types of SFP, the Hot-meal and Cassava-bread and Peanut butter snack.”
The Minister said that the number of trained teachers across all sectors within the hinterland area has increased moving from 40 percent in 1994 to 51 percent in 2014. Hinterland teachers were also supported through the establishment of learning resource centres.

“Teacher accommodation has also been addressed over the years. Since 2000 when only 15% of hinterland schools had teachers’ houses; today 90% of the schools have teachers’ houses,” the Minster said.

Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/06/29/ministry-of-education-launches-hinterland-education-improvement-project/

Dear Editor,
A short while ago, local newspapers reported that the Honorable Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, had bravely gone, where no one, well politician, had gone before, she had announced a new model for education in Guyana. Not since Queen Victoria decreed (1876) that urchins and waifs, who were running amok in the streets, having been kicked out of the workplace and replaced by men, on the pretext that the new Industrial Revolution was too dangerous for them, had there been a change of the educational model. This model pervades all territories owned by the former British Empire,and others, and is still in existence today in most of them, even though the Empire has long since dissolved.

It must be mentioned that this is not a political statement, or a critique of Minister Manickchand’s Educational Plan. I have no political  axe to grind, so to speak, and I haven’t fully read the Plan. My motive then, is to offer what I see as needed in order to radically change the educational system, for the good, fully cognizant of the fact that all, or some of my ideas, may have, to Minister Manickchand’s credit, been included in her Plan, and to admit to modest conceit, if any are there.

Let us take a brief look at the origins of our educational system. The Victorian model had all students sitting at desks, quietly listening to instructions from a teacher, usually a female, of impeccable virtue. On one wall of the classroom were a list of the Queens rules of etiquette (The name is lost to memory.), which I am told may still be hanging on some classroom walls! One such rule, which my grandmother told me was, ‘Quiet speech is a mark of refinement’. (If Queen Victoria was to hear school children’s conversation today, she may turn over in her grave.)

Students were only supposed to speak when spoken to, by the teacher, who was armed with a paddle or cane, in order to enforce her rules. As the school system grew, other forms of punishment developed, at least in Guyana, like for instance, kneeling for extended periods of time, with more creative teachers having their students kneel on scrubbing boards, and the more extreme, using coconut graters. Over time, progress has forced the abolishment of most disciplinary methods, but the ‘wild cane’ has doggedly persisted, up to today, with teachers and even parents, and even some children, swearing to its efficacy. Teachers who have not  been taught many skills in discipline  can only wreak revenge on students who dared disrupt their classes, or worse yet, fail their exams, by use of the Cane. And neither do parents, who have to deal with ‘hard ears’ children!

The Burnham Education Plan of 1976 attempted some educational modification, but the political system did not support it, as it also did in most socialist countries.
The Education Strategic Plan of 2008 -2013 (The Baksh Plan). (Note: Education Minister Baksh’s name is written as the author) is the last Plan before Minister Manickchand took office. This is the Plan whose results she had to look at and possibly think, ‘There has to be a better way’.
The Baksh Plan showed that there was a 20% average student dropout rate per year for those five years.
Twenty out of every 100 students felt that the school system was not meeting their educational needs, and walked!
That is not good.

It seems that most students wanted to be civil servants, nurses and doctors. Pride in work only applied to certain kinds of jobs. Unskilled and menial labor were to be frowned upon. Society encouraged this attitude.  There is no unskilled labor. That is a ruse to get workers to work for peanuts . Menial is a term used by the former colonial masters in order to keep workers in their place, so to speak. It is most unfortunate that leaders in Guyana today, use such terms.

“Dignity is work! Work is dignity!”
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was, and never will be.”  – Thomas Jefferson,
In the Mission Statement of her New Education Bill, Minister Manickchand states:
“An adequate framework for the delivery of high quality, contemporary education, to better develop each student’s potential and maximize their educational achievement.”
If I were the shadow minister of education, I might want to see what procedures are going to be used to realize these goals, how much it will cost, how will the results be evaluated, and if there are contingencies if goals are not being fully met.

Accountability, which I’m sure Minister Manickchand would have seen done.
It cannot be denied that our present educational system is based on elitism, which is based on a measurement of the student’s Intelligent Quotient (IQ).  IQ is a measurement of how well a student does on a standardized test. Students with the highest IQ reaps the most rewards and adulation.
There is nothing wrong with this system. Society has to reward those who accomplish the most. Problems arise when the educational system educates all students in a lock step method, expecting that those students who do not do as well are not putting out the needed effort to do so. Parents of these students blame them, their teachers, or the school. Teachers and school administration blame the students and/or their parents.  Children who perform at the top will produce children who do that also, and it is the same for children who perform at the bottom. One group shows the greatness of the system, and the other group shows its failures. Since the failures are far greater than the successes, it must be the educational system that is the problem.

Minister Manickchand and her advisers (who never seem to get any credit) must be congratulated for seeing the problem, and most importantly willing to tackle it head on.
Research shows that children who do well on IQ tests tended to do well as adults in society. A small sample of students with high IQ does not reflect well for the society. There has to be an increase in higher IQ performance.
But not all students will perform well on IQ tests, since sitting students at desk for extended periods of time is not an ideal learning environment for many students. It must be also noted that a child’s IQ is pretty much fixed by twelve years old!

Education then has to be from conception to death. On the one hand the developing baby has started learning, so the research has to be investigated to see what procedures are necessary in order to see that the growing baby is developing both mentally and physically to its fullest potential. The same has to be done from birth through the first twelve years of school. Some of what scientist are observing in children with high IQ’s is loving interactions with parents, healthy foods, keen interest/participation by parents in what the child is doing. There is more.
On the other hand, no one should deny the chance to learn in a society. This means adult education should become a norm, with schools offering adult evening classes with an equivalency high school diploma offered for the completion of a required program. An added advantage would be that schools that are closed for most of the day can now be put into use. Educated parents would have different expectations/attitude of their children

“An informed citizenry is the salvation of a democracy.” – Thomas Jefferson

The school system would not lose 20% of its students as dropouts, if there are programs that sustain the students’ interests. As such, schools should not be labelled numerically according to the level of IQ of its students, which translates into schools; 1 at the top (The best?), to some lower number – the bottom – representing students with the lowest IQ scores (The worst?)
While academic schools are certainly needed, tere must be schools that offer such programs as, wood shop, auto shop, metal shop, computer programming, recycling, community work, physical education, home economics, music, gardening, marching band.
I could go on.

What is very important to the society, and the Ministry of Education is student should be taught that jobs with soft hand and clean nails and white shirts with pens in the pockets, are not the only dignified or most important jobs there are. The school system has to change this culture whereby, to be important you have to work in an office, or drop out of school and have a baby, because one gets more attention and recognition for that achievement.
The school system has to not only give students reasons for being in school, not just because the law says so, but by what the school offers.

No child is born ‘bad’ – religion to the contrary. It’s what the child deals with in its environment that will determine how and what it thinks and act.
And the teachers!

Teachers originally went into the profession because it was their ‘Calling’. This was like becoming a minister or doctor. While ministers still talk about their Calling, doctors have long since upgraded their profession by following the research and scientific discoveries and demanded salaries which they felt were appropriate to their profession.
There are teachers today who do not view themselves as professionals, who still talk about their Calling. Salaries for most reflect that view.

Teachers are fourth on the salary scale for the level of education and training that they do.
Teachers are just below doctors in the amount of time spent doing additional research and study yet make just over half the average for doctors.

Teachers have less cavities only below police and combat soldiers, which is caused by grinding the teeth due to stress.
For the amount of take home work a similar profession would be making three times what teachers make.
It is only recently in more developed countries that teachers are now studying to be specialist/professionals in their field and being evaluated to determine their salary, which has increased considerably for those that are successful.
Teachers not only have to be trained in their specialty but must also be trained in the skills needed in order to maximize their students learning capacity.
AND COMPENSATED ACCORDINGLY.

Education does not belong to one political party, or one group. It is a nationally mandated program, which attempts to organize citizens toward certain values and virtues that will work in the best interest of its citizens and the society, as a whole.
Much success to you Hon. Minister PriyaManickchand

Thank you,
Albert R. Cumberbatch, Ph. D.

Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/06/27/the-manickchand-education-plan-a-great-educational-breakthrough/

…will apply penalties under the relevant contracts

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand and Permanent Secretary, Delma Nedd on Friday last held a meeting with contractors who will be building furniture for schools across Guyana.

Manickchand called the meeting to discuss the importance of contractors meeting their contractual obligations, specifically emphasizing the importance of them delivering the furniture on time and it being of acceptable quality.
Manickchand pointed out to the meeting that the Government of Guyana, in understanding the importance of education in a country’s development, allocated approximately $300M, so that every child can be comfortably seated in the classroom and poised to receive quality education.

The Minister said the most desirous outcome of the meeting would be that quality furniture is delivered on time but emphasized that if these requirements are not met, the Government will apply penalties under the relevant contracts.

The contractors undertook to do their level best to meet the conditions they agreed to under the various contracts and expressed a deep understanding of the necessity to provide good furniture in a timely manner.
This is not the first time Manickchand took a stern position against contractors undertaking works for the Education Ministry.

Shortly after taking the reins of the Education Ministry, Manickchand had publicly stated that failure on the part of contractors to complete projects within the stipulated contractual period could see penalties being swiftly applied.
This was following a similar meeting with contractors at which point in time she had categorically stated her position of zero tolerance for any unwarranted delay in meeting deadlines.
A total of $960M has been budgeted for the Ministry to complete construction and rehabilitation of Nursery, Primary and Secondary Schools for 2014.
This figure also includes the extension of schools, science and information laboratories as well as the payment of retention.

Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/06/24/manickchand-demands-quality-timely-work-on-furniture/

President’s College alumni are voicing concern over the Education Ministry’s apparent downgrade of the school and Minister Priya Manickchand says she is willing to meet with them on how the institution could best serve the country’s children.

Last week, during the announcement of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results, Manickchand, asked about the absence of President’s College among the top schools, said, “Twenty years ago, it [President’s College] was created to be the top school; it no longer is functioning in that regard because it is not meeting the needs of our children best.”

Her comments garnered much criticism from old students of the school and on Thursday Manickchand took to Facebook to respond to questions raised about the school’s current standing. One former student, who posted an excerpt from the Stabroek News report, “President’s College no longer among top schools for NGSA high achievers,” questioned, “Why is it [the school] not meeting the “needs of our children best” anymore?”

In response to the criticism, Manickchand posted from her Facebook account, “Dear all, I am extremely pleased to see this robust discussion and to have been tagged in this post. I am very encouraged by the interest in what it seems is the alma mater of many of the persons commenting here.

I would love to see this kind of interest replicated across Guyana re every school and past student. I would be happy to meet you all at an organized meeting where we could further discuss President’s College and how it could best serve our children. Would be happy to host such a meeting or to attend one hosted by another. Pls [please] do let me know.”

Some former students expressed enthusiasm at the possibility of a meeting while others believed that, akin to previous situations, nothing but empty promises would come out of any such a meeting.

During the announcement of the NGSA results, President’s College was noticeably missing from the list of top secondary schools in Guyana. Cut-off marks for Queen’s College, The Bishops’ High School, St. Stanislaus College, St. Rose’s High School, and St. Joseph’s High School were announced and President’s College’s absence from the list raised eyebrows.

When questioned, Manickchand said that the school offered both residential and non-residential places for students across Guyana in all regions, except Region 3, who had attained 491 marks and more.

She added that as a result of the ministry’s current position in regards to the school, top-notch education is being offered to those who would have otherwise been deprived of it. “If we were to say we’re offering President’s College only to top students, then essentially what we’re saying is 120 elite students in this country will have the option of going to either PC or QC. Some will choose PC, some will choose QC and both will be underpopulated which is not good for the delivery of the quality education that can be delivered and it really denies children in the hinterland areas who can do better if they’re given an opportunity with labs and so on; it denies them that opportunity,” she said.

However, out of the hinterland regions (regions 1, 7, 8, and 9) only 10 students have achieved 491 marks at the NGSA this year. None of these 10 students came from region 8.

‘Disturbing’

“For me it is disturbing that the Ministry has effectively lowered the standards of President’s College via the lowering of the entry requirements of the institution,” former student Amir Dillawar told Stabroek News. He added, “I would assume that the grading of schools would be based on their academic performance, and the entry requirements would reflect said grading.

Dillawar also noted that Manickchand had judged the school as “generally underpopulated but extremely expensive to run because it is a residential school.” However, he deemed the view as inaccurate.

Referring to the 2013 orientation brochure presented by the Ministry of Education for the school, Dillawar pointed out that the school’s enrollment has not dwindled but instead showed growth over the years.

According to the brochure, viewed by this newspaper, in 2010, 2011 and 2012 the school recorded enrollments of 441, 593 and 616 students, respectively. These enrollments are on par with those of many secondary schools in Guyana.

Dillawar also raised questions on claims that the school was too expensive to run. “For too long we have been hearing that PC costs too much to run and no one is giving us information on the costs to run other dormitory schools so that we can have a benchmark,” he said. He continued, “Give us the number that justify what is being said so that we may establish that all that is being done to the school is not simply being done to eradicate whatever remnants of [Forbes] Burnham’s legacy that remains.”

Another alumnus, who asked not to be named, opined that the government has failed the institution. “The government has failed to or have stopped maintaining the standard of the school financially and with the supplementing of skilled and experienced teachers on purpose,” he said.

“Further, sending students with lesser pass marks from the NGSA than what is required to earn the opportunity to attend President’s College is causing a meltdown of the school’s prestige and standards. At the same time, I’m not saying that anything is wrong with students of less pass marks.”

He continued, “As an old student, like many others, I would love to see my school return to glory, a school that was rewarded to students from all corners of this beautiful country of ours because of hard work and diligence. President’s College is a place where skin color and hair texture didn’t exist but only harmony and unison; it’s a place earned to sit next to “future leaders.”

However, Guyana has become very messy because of politics.”

Another former student, Shane Pearce, in a letter published in the Stabroek News, expressed disappointment that President’s College was being treated “in a way that is unacceptable.” He wrote, “Why is it not meeting the needs of our children? Why is it not functioning in the capacity it was designed for? President’s College was designed to be the top secondary in Guyana, not the top secondary school on the East Coast of Demerara, as the Minister described it.”

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/news/guyana/06/21/pc-alumni-concerned-downgrade-college/

Designed to address, among other things, the quality of education at all levels, even within public and private educational institutions, a revised Education Bill was on Thursday tabled for the first time before the National Assembly.
Presenting the Bill was Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, who spoke confidently of the features of the Bill that would allow, once enacted, for the improvement of the education sector.

The Bill is therefore intended to repeal and replace the archaic Education Act currently in existence. It was crafted following consultations with stakeholders across the country, and seeks to reform the legal framework of education in Guyana and provide an effective system of education related to the needs of the people.
And since Article 149H (1) of the Constitution mandates that every child is entitled to free primary and secondary education in schools owned or funded by the State, the Bill makes provision for such a realisation which is however subjected “to available resources of the State and the availability of educational facilities to all persons in Guyana.”
Also contained in the Bill are provisions for ensuring free education to all persons and a component that speaks to quality education at all levels, both in public as well as private schools, and other educational institutions in Guyana.
Further still, the Bill is outfitted with a component to cater to the strengthening of the existing school management system so that it allows for the maximum participation of parents and teachers in the management of schools.
The Bill which also provides for the disciplining of children in the school environment, is being touted as a mechanism that contains measures that will “ensure for the benefit of children, enhancing their talents, mental and physical, and ensuring a rounded education in all schools.”
Moreover, it also touches on the administration of the education system; rights and responsibilities of students and their parents; categories of schools and the stages of education; the management of public educational institutions; employment of teachers; curriculum assessments of students, and even inspection and review of the education system.

Of note too is the fact that the Bill entails a component that deals specifically with the delivery of education to students with special needs. The Bill outlines that “The special education programme may take the form of an individual education plan tailored to suit the specific or individual needs of the student concerned.”  It also contains a clause that empowers the Minister of Education “to make provision for distance learning education programmes at pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary levels” and yet another that enables the Minister to make provision for continuing and adult education programmes.”

According to a statement issued earlier this week by the Education Ministry, the Bill is one that will cater to the provision of adequate frameworks for the delivery of high quality, contemporary education, to better develop each student’s potential and maximize their educational achievement.
It is therefore noted by the Ministry that “This new Bill comes at a most opportune moment in Guyana’s history, especially since the current Education Act utilized in Guyana came into being since 1876 with its last amendments being made sometime in 1976.”

“The Government of Guyana in recognizing the misalignment of Guyana’s education legislation with contemporary regional and international education benchmarks, decided since 2005 to set about drafting a new Education Bill that can adequately address the modern education issues and challenges currently experienced by the sector,” the Ministry had pointed out.
Against this background, Ministry officials are optimistic that the Bill will garner “unrestrained support of the full House in getting this…made into Law from which all of Guyana, particularly her children, will benefit.”

Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2014/06/21/revised-education-bill-gets-attention-in-parliament/

–First whole Education Bill since Guyana gained Independence

A PROPOSED Education Bill, the first of its kind since Guyana gained independence, according to subject Minister, Dr. Priya Manickchand, was tabled in the National Assembly yesterday, and read for the first time. 

The current Education Act being utilised in Guyana came into being since 1876, and was last amended sometime in 1976. The proposed Bill, on the other hand, is intended to repeal the Education Act; reform the legal

framework for education in Guyana; and provide an effective system of education related to the needs of the people.
The 126-page Bill includes legislative provisions for several first-time undertakings, and addresses several areas, ranging from administration of the sector, to special-needs education. And with regards to the latter, the Bill outlines the determination of special educational needs, special needs appeals, and the establishment of a council on special education.

SPECIAL-NEEDS EDUCATION
According to the Bill, the Chief Education Officer shall provide a special education programme for any student of compulsory school age, and may provide education for a student beyond that age, who, by virtue of intellectual, communicative, behavioral, physical or multiple attributes or other conditions, is in need of special education.

It says, “A student who is entitled to a special education programme shall have the programme delivered in the least restrictive and most enabling environment that resources permit, and that is considered practicable by the Chief Education Officer in consultation with the principal and professional staff of the school and the student’s parents, having regard to the educational needs and rights of other students.
“A special education programme may take the form of an individual education plan tailored to the specific or individual needs of the student.”
The proposed legislation further empowers students with special needs, by stipulating that if it is determined that a student will require an individual education plan, then the cost of developing, providing and maintaining the plan shall be split between the parents and the Ministry.
Provision has also been made for the establishment of a Council on Special Education, which will advise the subject Minister on the guidelines for implementing a special education programme.

ADMINISTRATION
In terms of administration, the Bill stipulates that the Minister shall, subject to the resources of the State, ensure that all citizens of Guyana, regardless of age, race, creed, gender, physical or mental ability or socio-

economic status, are given the best opportunity to achieve their full potential through equal access to quality education, as defined by the standards and norms outlined by the Ministry. The section dealing with administration also addresses the de-centralised education system of management; the responsibilities and powers of the Education Minister; and the establishment of a National Advisory Committee on Education
The Bill specifies that the functions of the Advisory Committee shall be to advise the Minister on: Matters relating to education; matters respecting the discharge of any of the Minister’s responsibilities or the exercising of the Minister’s powers under this Act, as the Minister refers to the Advisory Committee; and on any other matters relating to the promotion of education that the Minister requests advice on from the Advisory Committee.
Several detailed parameters by which private schools should be guided are also mentioned in the Bill.

DECENTRALISED SYSTEM
On the matter of decentralising the education system, the Bill states that the Ministry of Education, headed by the Minister, Permanent Secretary and the Chief Education Officer, has responsibility for:
* National education strategic planning and research;

* Policy formulation and development;

* Resource mobilization;

* Providing centralised services in relation to teacher training and development, facilities of school inspection, curriculum development, text and exercise books, school feeding, administration of examinations, setting of academic and non-academic standards;

* Monitoring and evaluating education delivery and policy implementation; and

* Reporting on the performance of the education system throughout the ten administrative regions, including the Georgetown education district

With respect to the ten Regional Democratic Councils, they are responsible for the management of the country’s ten administrative regions, except the Georgetown district; and their responsibility extends to the general supervision of education in each region, and to the actual implementation of the education programme through the Regional Education Departments. The Georgetown education district is managed by the Ministry of Education, through a Principal Education Officer.
The Regional Education Departments, according to the Bill, will be directly responsible for the management and supervision of the day-to-day implementation of education in their respective regions, with among their major areas of responsibilities being:

* Management of the delivery of education at the regional level through regular monitoring, supervision and inspection visits to schools;

* Communication of education policies;

* Advising a Regional Democratic Council on education and providing feedback to the Ministry;

* Establishing and maintaining good school and community relationships through the involvement of a Parent Teacher Association in every school;

* Ensuring overall consistency of the regional work plan and school improvement plan with the strategic plan of the Ministry; and

* Ensuring that the non-academic standards are met.

Additionally, the employment of teachers, qualifications of teachers, requirements for employment as a teacher, and the appointment of teachers to public schools, etc., are clearly stipulated in the Bill. The Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) is to be governed by this piece of legislation too.
Also, the institution of a national curriculum, guidelines addressing core and foundation subjects, assessment stages, determination of attainment targets and the establishment of subject panels are included.

OTHER AREAS
Another section of the Bill that deals with students’ rights and responsibilities includes the right to education, compulsory education, free tuition at schools, students’ responsibilities, accountability of students, the return of property and the exercise of rights.
Parents’ rights and responsibilities are also dealt with in the Bill and takes into consideration several areas, such as: Choice of education; rights and responsibilities of parents or guardians; student records and reports; Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs); suggestions and wishes of parents to be considered; and school committees.
Other areas are: The admission of students, maintenance of order and discipline in schools, categories of schools and the stages of education and management of public educational institutions and the attendance of students.
Relative to the latter, the Bill says, “It shall be the duty of the parents or guardians of a child of compulsory school age to cause the child to regularly and punctually attend school unless the child is excused from school attendance as prescribed by the regulations. The parent or guardian of a child of compulsory school age who wishes the child to be exempt from compulsory school attendance may apply for a certificate of exemption from attendance.”
Additionally, provisions addressing distance learning and continuing and adult education are also included.
Monitoring, evaluation, reporting and development in the sector and the purpose of monitoring, evaluation, reporting and development also form and important part of the Bill – all in the interest of  providing an adequate frameworks for the delivery of high quality, contemporary education, to better develop each student’s potential and maximise their educational achievement.
The move to draft a new Education Bill to adequately address the modern education issues and challenges currently experienced by the sector began in 2005. The Bill tabled in the House reflects information gleaned by the Ministry through a number of public consultations held countrywide between the Ministry of Education and all key stakeholders.

* Provides for modern education system and to meet needs of students of all ages and abilities
* Caters for de-centralised education system of management
* Mandates establishment of National Advisory Committee on Education
* Provides for the establishment of a Council on Special Education
* Regularises the operations of private schools which must now have permit, be registered, comply with standards.
* Prescribes severe penalties for assault and abuse of teachers by parents and students
* Makes education compulsory from nursery to secondary.

Source: http://guyanachronicle.com/2014/06/20/manickchand-lays-historic-education-bill-in-national-assembly

The $10,000 grant to be given to the parent or guardian of each school age child in the public school system will be handed over at the beginning, or after the beginning, of the new school year or term. This was revealed by Education Minister Priya Manickchand in the National Assembly on Thursday. Giving an oral reply, in response to a question posed by A People’s Partnership for National Unity (APNU) member Amna Ally about the mechanism to be used to disburse the $10,000 per child, as promised in Budget 2014, and when the sums will be distributed, explained that using this method, Ministry officials would be able to capture all the registered students, including new incoming nursery students, and new students who did not attend nursery school but went to Grade 1.
She added that the Education Ministry will be informing stakeholders of the mechanism to facilitate the payments. “Guyana is so diverse geographically, and different services are available at different places, we want to make sure however we disburse this, it is the most effective and efficient way to the parents.”

According to Ms. Manickchand, around 188,000 school age children, will benefit from their parents or guardians obtaining the grant. Additionally the ministry is fully prepared to commence the distribution of school uniform vouchers, in the coming week, she said.
The Ministry is consulting with parents, with one such exercise completed two weeks prior at Queen’s College (QC) with its Parent Teachers Association, to ascertain the best way for them to receive the Education Grant, the minister explained. She stated that the parents of QC students have agreed to use the Mobile Money Service provided by GT&T, to have their funds disbursed, “So we will be consulting with other parents across the country, we just consulted with five of the nine sub-districts in Region 9 Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) over last week to find how those parents would best like to receive the money”.
It is envisaged that the grant can be used to meet costs, such as transportation, and will provide added impetus to raising enrollment and attendance rates, in addition to having the effect of increasing the disposable incomes of the parents of school aged children. This initiative will benefit the families of the 188,406 families of the students of public nursery, primary, and secondary schools, and will cost a total of $2 billion

Source: (GINA) https://guyanachronicle.com/2014/06/20/education-grants-to-be-disbursed-during-new-school-term-education-minister

Long demanded by child rights advocates, corporal punishment has been dropped as a method of discipline in schools under the Education Bill 2014 which was tabled in the National Assembly by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand yesterday.

Section 49 of the Bill deals with Maintenance of Order and Discipline in Schools and it says that the principal and staff of a public school shall ensure that order and discipline prevail in accordance with the Manual.

The document referred to, the Manual of Guidelines for the Maintenance of Order and Discipline in Schools, speaks to the right of the schools to maintain order and discipline. It provides detailed provisions dealing with unacceptable behaviour or offences, suspension, expulsion and education in a special school for expelled students.

It says that it is the responsibility of the administrative and non-administrative staff of every school to ensure that its climate is one in which order and discipline prevail and every school has the right to institute measures or take appropriate action to ensure that order and discipline are not compromised by any student.

The Manual makes provisions for the suspension of a student but says that no school has the authority to expel a student from its rolls but it may recommend the expulsion of a student for consideration by the Head of the Education Department and the Chief Education Officer. “The students are expected to respect and follow all lawful directives of the administrative and non-administrative staff of the school and any deliberate failure on the part of a student to comply with the same will subject the student liable to disciplinary action,” it says.

Competent authority

According to the Manual, disciplinary action against a student shall be determined by the competent authority having due regard to the age of the student; the physical and mental health of the student; the nature and seriousness of the unacceptable behaviour or offence; the frequency of the misdemeanour on the climate of the school; and the compelling circumstances and family background of the student.

The document says that in the maintenance of order and discipline in a school, the Head Teacher shall lead in the formulation and implementation of a Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Policy for the school. Teachers as well as parents have the right to participate in the drafting and reviewing of the Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Policy of the school.

A student may be penalised for unacceptable behaviour under four categories with the sternest being expulsion. Detention, is one of the methods of discipline and the Manual says that when repeated detentions fail, then the student should be referred to the Head Teacher for any other disciplinary action or sanction.

A provision in a previous draft of the Bill which said that subject to the Manual, corporal punishment would be administered “only when no other punishment is considered suitable or effective in the particular case,” and it may only be administered by the principal, deputy principal or a teacher specifically designated by the principal for the purpose, is no longer in the Bill. Corporal punishment was a prominent feature of the debate during the period of consultation and when the country was reviewed at the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva in 2010, Guyana had committed to public consultations on corporal punishment.

Repeal and replace

The Education Bill 2014 seeks to repeal and replace the Education Act and it reforms the legal framework of education in Guyana and provides “an effective system of education related to the needs of the people.”

The Bill contains provisions for ensuring free education to all persons. It relates to quality education at all levels both in public as well as private schools and other educational institutions in Guyana. According to the Explana-tory Memorandum, the existing school management system is being strengthened giving maximum participation of parents and teachers in the management of schools.

Discipline of students in schools is provided for and the Bill says that these measures will enure to the benefit of children, enhancing their talents, mental and physical and ensuring a rounded education in all schools.

Part II of the Bill, which relates to the administration of the education system, provides for the establishment of a decentralized education system of management and a National Advisory Committee on Education.

It also empowers the Minister to appoint Special Committees to advise the Minister on various matters relating to education.

Part III mainly deals with the rights and responsibilities of students and parents and the procedure relating to admission and attendance of students in schools, compulsory school attendance of children of compulsory school age and maintenance of order and discipline in public schools in accordance with the Manual.

Clause 15 provides that, subject to available resources, all persons in Guyana are entitled to receive education appropriate to their age and needs. Clause 16 envisages compulsory education to all persons of compulsory school age. Clause 25 provides for formation of Parent Teacher Associa-tions and a National Parent Teacher Association. Clause 26 provides for the establishment of a School Committee in the absence of a Parent Teacher Association. Clauses 28 to 38 deal with school admissions and school attendance. Clause 39 provides that an academic school year shall not be more than forty weeks. Clauses 39 to 48 deal with enforcement of compulsory school attendance programme.

Part IV deals with the categories of schools and the stages of school education. Primary education, secondary education and tertiary education are the stages of public education. However, the Minister may, by order, include as part of the system of public education pre-primary education, education to meet the requirements of students who are gifted or have exceptional ability, special education in accordance with Part VI, adult and continuing education and distance education.

Pre-primary

Clause 53 provides for the establishment of public pre-primary and primary schools. These schools shall be managed and controlled by the Minister. The pre-primary schools established under the existing Education Act shall continue to function. Clause 54 provides for establishment and maintenance of public secondary schools by the Minister. Clause 54 empowers the Minister to establish a board of governors for every public school whenever the Minister considers it necessary for the economy, efficiency and participation of the community in the management of education.

Clauses 65 to 87 deal with the establishment and administration of private educational institutions and private schools providing pre-primary, primary, special and secondary education in instructional services in general at the tertiary level and in vocational education and training at the secondary, tertiary and adult levels. Clause 67 makes it mandatory that for operating a private educational institution or private school a permit is required to be obtained from the Minister.

Further, provisions in this part deal with the matters relating to the grant or refusal of a permit and the maintenance of a Private Schools Register by the Chief Education Officer.

Part V – Management of Public Educational Institutions – contains provisions relating to the establishment and management of public educational institutions, teachers colleges and technical colleges as the Minister may determine. Clause 91 provides for the establishment of publicly funded branches of the Teachers’ Colleges in the regions of Guyana and Clause 92 applies the Act to President’s College and the Industrial Training Schools.

Part VI – Other Types of Education – deals with special education programmes for students of compulsory school age and certain students beyond the compulsory school age who by virtue of intellectual, communicative, behavioural, physical or multiple exceptionalities are in need of special education. The special education programme may take the form of individual education plan tailored to suit the specific or individual needs of the student concerned.

Part VII deals with employment of teachers, their age, qualifications, etc. while Part VIII – Curriculum Assessment of Students – provides detailed provisions relating to the establishment of a national curriculum, assessment of stages, determination of attainment targets and constitution of subject panels for creating and revising a national curriculum.

Inspection of public schools

Part IX deals with inspection of public schools at least three times in an academic year by the Regional Education Officer or any person authorised by the Regional Education Officer while Part X deals with various miscellaneous matters including the procedure for search of students in schools for possession of intoxicating liquor, drugs, firearms, stolen goods, etc., use of school premises by vendors of food, beverages, etc., power of Minister to make Regulations for properly carrying out the provisions of the Act and repeal of the former Education Act.

Clause 125 contains the transitional provisions.

The National Council for Education constituted under the former Act is dissolved. However, the board of management or a governing board established under the former Act is allowed to be continued until a board of management or governing board is constituted under this Act.

The Bill will become law when it is passed by the National Assembly and assented to by the President.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/news/guyana/06/20/corporal-punishment-dropped-new-education-bill/