“It is not good enough for teachers to just open the school doors and do their duty and teach. I want teachers to do their duties consciously… always looking for results!”

Tasked with the tremendous responsibility of educating Guyana’s children, Priya Manickchand’s hands-on approach to management is exactly what the system now requires. Although she does not profess to know all the answers, this young lawyer is a keen listener who thinks outside the box. She is tough but fair.

Priya Devi Manickchand first burst onto the political scene in 2006 as a young Minister. While in charge of Human Services and Social Security, she piloted several critical Bills that were passed in the National Assembly and enacted into law. These include: The Protection of Children Act; The Adoption of Children Act; The Status of Children Act; The Childcare and Development Services Act; The Sexual Offences Act; and The Custody, Contact, Guardianship and Maintenance of Children Act.

She also managed to get through the National Assembly, the Childcare and Protection Agency Act, which in turn established that Agency with its own rules, regulations and governing legislation, making it an almost autonomous body devoted to the sole purpose of Childcare and Protection of children.
At the time of passage, these pieces of legislation were all revolutionary in their outlook and objectives. Manickchand explained that one such piece of legislation under The Status of Children Act deals with a topic that most persons don’t necessarily like to discuss.

“What happens to a child who is born out of marriage…What is his or her status? The question is an important one, because there are laws that cater for how children born to a wedded couple are treated.  But what about those crudely referred to as “bastards?”
Further she queried “What is the status of a child born by test-tube procedure? This is our child, this is Guyana’s child!”

The mandatory provisions for children born out of wedlock were not clearly defined in the laws of Guyana, despite the prevalent existence of this phenomenon, and for Manickchand, this was something that had to be addressed. She questioned where such a child would fit into the scheme of things in terms of inheritance and other such instances where children born in wedlock were clearly defined by law.
She spoke of the genesis of the adoption of children and said that she was eager enough to ensure that the process was made friendlier for the children and the persons interested in adopting a child.

“Protection of Children was a huge piece of legislation for me, because it really defined how we are going to go forward as a nation… So often we hear people say that ‘oh, I am only the teacher, and it is not my responsibility.’”
This is a thing of the past now, because the legislation which was piloted by Minister Manickchand now places obligations on persons such as teachers, police and pastors, among others, to have to disclose information if they have knowledge of, or see signs that would indicate a child being in harm’s way.

As Human Services Minister, she also spearheaded the establishment of the Childcare and Protection Unit,with just five persons who were tasked with dealing with a range of matters relating to children. This soon grew into a full-fledged Agency with its own Law.

Under Mission Child Protection, an entire home was built to remove children from the streets, and at present this facility houses and provides care for more than 120 children, with a capacity for more than 150.
“For me the establishment of the Childcare and Protection Unit and then the Agency was hugely, hugely important…I saw immediate results from that particular intervention…we saw lives change right before our very eyes.”

In reference to women, Manickchand reflected that one of the interventions that she would herald as being massively successful would be the Women of Worth (WOW) Programme. The Ministry teamed up with the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry to provide loans for Low Income Single Parent women without having to put up collateral. This programme allowed single parent women to establish small businesses that would provide for their children.
This was a crucial venture, as according to Manickchand, women make up half of the world’s population but control a minimal amount of world’s wealth, “and in Guyana it is no different. Most women don’t have assets… No car or bus, and certainly no house to put up as collateral to borrow some money.”

Another crucial piece of legislation that Minister Manickchand is proud of, is the passage of the Sexual Offences Act that offers protection and makes it easier for persons to report heinous acts of rape.
She also expanded access to Legal Aid Services to cover the majority of Guyana, inclusive of the hinterland, and for children to access legal services.

But what exactly drives this young professional to have achieved so much in such a short time in government?
Manickchand says she is not sure that she can isolate any one trait that motivates her, but describes herself as a very results-oriented kind of person, with the ability to discern a problem and then, with a good team, in most cases, plan and execute a solution. She says she is glad she has come into a Ministry where the groundwork has been laid.

“There are now more trained teachers across the system, who enjoy the best salary and most benefits that teachers have ever enjoyed before. The country has achieved universal primary education, and 85 per cent of its nursery aged children are in school.
“Guyana is getting the best exam results we have ever gotten as a country in both the primary and secondary sector and there is a concerted drive to attain universal secondary education. More children from the Hinterland can access a good education than ever before. These are simply facts that cannot be disputed,” the Minister asserts emphatically. Still, she recognises there is work to be done.

As Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand is determined not to leave any child behind in the pursuit of academic success. In this regard, she is currently meeting with parents and teachers in an ongoing exercise to determine the needs of each school and of the parents and children of those schools that contribute to poor performances by both students and teachers.

At various meeting in the last few weeks, Minister Manickchand urged teachers to step up to the responsibility of their profession, “It is not good enough for teachers to just open the school doors and do their duty and teach. I want teachers to do their duties consciously… always looking for results!”

Speaking to teachers at East Ruimveldt Primary School, the Minster said “I have seen how many teachers go out and teach every single day and give their heart to teaching. I have seen how committed they are. I know there are exceptions, but I would say without hesitation there are more good teachers than bad ones. And so we ask you today to teach consciously. Know each child in your class and have a plan as to how you will take each child from the place where they are now, today, to a higher place. How are you going to ensure every child leaving your school can read and understand what they are reading?”

Minister Manickchand said that while much has been done, she would like to see an improvement in the quality of education that is delivered. She would particularly like to see the number of children leaving school able to read and understand what they are reading drastically increased. And she is focused on making this happen. She said the Ministry is presently diagnosing where the student population is in this regard and will devise strategies and workable solutions to bridging the gaps that exist.

Improving the rate of matriculation is also high on the Minister’s agenda. This would mean improving the percentage of persons that pass Mathematics and English. The Minister insists that innovative ways have to be employed in this drive. Interesting more children in the sciences and producing more managers for our country is also critical in her view. Meeting the educational needs of children with disabilities is also something the Minister believes must be addressed and is achievable.
“Writing our own text books that would then be available at affordable prices to provide our children with the necessary resources to complement the teaching they receive in the classroom and to be competitive globally is a necessity,” she states.

The Minister is also constantly looking at new ways of evaluating the effect of what is done by the Ministry and the schools.
“Clearly, we have more work to do at the Ministry of Education… We have more monitoring to do. It is one thing to put out fancy policies and fancy programmes, but we have to go into the schools and ensure they are being implemented. Going into the school in this time may very well mean virtually rather physically”
Additionally, at all the meetings, the Minister urges parents to do their part by being good parents. She said a good parent is not necessarily one that has a lot of money or education.

“You can be a good parent simply by asking your child to tell you and show you what he/she has done during school, make sure that the books are marked, and ensure that your child attends school every day and on time.” She added, “If your child has to study or do homework and the TV is on, the government or the teacher cannot come into your home and turn it off, it is your responsibility to do so.”

She compares education to a relay race, where every leg has to be strong and do their part to succeed.
But Priya Manickchand’s life isn’t all about work and the continued drive for success. She is happily married to a civil engineer and officer of the Guyana Defence Force, Major Bhageshwar Murli. The Minister had two children in three years and laughingly confesses that she still struggles with the duties of motherhood and “wifedom.”
Her two beautiful children are 3-year-old Arya and 10-month-old Lucas. Their names, she said, were chosen specially as Arya means “noble and honourable, high, possessed of a social conscience” and Lucas was a name, manly enough to satisfy his father, and derived after the Gospel of Luke in the Bible… a chapter that demonstrates great respect for women and proffers the view that women are capable of making big contributions to the world. She hopes to raise a son who sees women as equally capable as men.

When she’s not working, Minister Manickchand indulges in reading and spending quality time with family.
“Doing the most basic and simple things are of great enjoyment to me.”
This may come as a surprise to most Guyanese women, but the Minister is not fond of housework and other domestic chores. She thanks her mother-in-law and the Army for raising a relatively independent man in her husband, who makes little demands in that regard.
And what can be seen as yet another surprise to most, the Minister and her family live at her parents’ home with her mother and father and, chuckling, she said she would be quite happy to stay there forever so she could capitalise on the childcare and other help she gets.

When asked who most influenced her as a child growing up, she said she didn’t have a single role model. A combination of people in her life helped to shape her. She admires her father’s refusal to cower to bullyism and his belief in standing up for oneself, and her mother’s unshakeable belief in Christ.
She said her parents’ personal sacrifice as a couple, to give her and her siblings the best education possible, remains an inspiration to her and reminds her of her own duties as a parent. She also gave credit to her aunt Gloria Roopnauth who insisted that she “think independently and not be brainwashable.”
She is grateful for the genes passed down by her paternal grandfather, whom she said started with nothing but the clothes on his back and a great determination to make his offspring successful people and in that pursuit, with a hard working wife, built an estate.

Finally, the Minister was asked what inspired her to get into politics.
“I dont know that I was inspired to get actively involved in politics. All I ever wanted to do after graduating was law. But the election of 1997 was around the corner and for me as a young person looking on, after listening to everyone, there was simply no option but the PPP/C. So I felt compelled to play my small part in helping out Guyana by making sure the best party won. My friend Renuka and I just sort of walked into Freedom House and volunteered and were asked to help prepare kits for the election scrutineers. My “job” was to wrap scotch tape around pencils and I felt like I was doing my bit and was quite happy with that. And then someone learnt that I was a law student and asked me to do some research and one thing lead to the next.

I had also met Feroze Mohamed and Rannie Nawbatt and some other folks who were sound, solid citizens with extremely interesting lives and views on matters, and we stayed friends and in touch even after the ’97 elections. In 2006, I still held the view that the PPP/C was the only party that could deliver to Guyanese on the promise for a better country and in the run-up to the elections, I again took some time off to help out with more mundane things, figuring I would do my bit and then resume my regular life.

After the election, the dynamic President Bharrat Jagdeo invited me to be a part of his cabinet and given all the effort he and others were personally putting into making our country a better, more developed place and giving people from all brackets a better life, I felt selfish to say no and here I am today.”
Minister Manickchand says she still struggles with trying to balance work and home, and will have to learn to strike a better balance so that even as she serves, she can bring up children who themselves would be sound academically and otherwise, and thus capable of serving too.
For all she has done and is continuing to do for Guyana’s children, Education Minister Priya Manickchand is a ‘Special Person’.

Dear Editor,

The jury is in and has been in for a long time. “Parental effort is consistently associated with higher levels of achievement, and the magnitude of the effect of parental effort is substantial.” This was a finding reported in the journal Science Dailydated May 28, 2008 and titled Parental Involvement Strongly Impacts Student Achievement. This finding was based on research from the University of New Hampshire but this kind of finding is common in the many similar studies conducted around the world.

This is why I was stunned with the interpretation given by Dr. David Hinds and the Stabroek News cartoonist to my contextualized call to opposition leaders to speak with and counsel their constituents about the importance of family life and parental involvement in the lives of our nation’s children. I made this call after being invited to offer a response to broad based, non-empirical, political claims made by members of the opposition in a specific article.

I was stunned because I have never been racist and do not practice and/or carry out any sort of prejudicial actions. My service, my actions, my life have been public for a long enough time for people to make their own judgments about me and this is why I am not worried at all that this skewered sentiment will resonate.

Experts have posited that one’s interpretations of another’s words is coloured by one’s own views, ideology and prejudices.

I maintain that the most important thing that can be done in this fight to give our children the best education possible which will manifest itself in better grades, better adults when they grow up, and a better Guyana eventually is parental involvement.

For now, I am Minister of Education of all Guyana. I believe myself to have a duty to all parents, students and teachers all across this country, as far as I can, to impart this very important information about parental involvement. I take this duty seriously.

Wherever I go, I speak to parents in a deliberately set aside time, on the role of parents in the lives of their children, our students. I have done this on numerous TV programs where I speak to all who would listen/watch. I do this at all PTA meetings that I attend (and I have personally attended more than 130 of these in my tenure, thus far). I am aware that other education officers in the Ministry of Education slot this feature into all PTA meetings they attend. An integral feature of our Math and English pilot project was to meet all parents of children on the project, because we knew that it mattered not what we did, if the parents were not involved we would not be as successful. Indeed, the Stabroek News has covered many of these activities and may wish to advise its cartoonist that my message, in this regard, is the same at every meeting in every location.

I do believe, however, that the more of us that speak to this issue, the more successful we can be. I also believe, as I said publicly on the radio last Friday, before the publication of the cartoon or Dr. Hinds’ letter, that if someone voted for MRs X that person is more likely to listen to MRs X than a mere education officer or even me and so it would be extremely useful if Mrs X’s were to seek to impart this information. This simply makes sense to me.

If the opposition members/leaders want to spend their time arguing over what I said, and attributing to me feelings/motives that  I do not have, rather than gathering together people who believe in them and using every opportunity to talk to their constituents about good parenting practices and the benefits thereof, fine. It might be a good time to remind said members/leaders that they too have a duty and a positive role to play in delivering the best education possible to Guyana’s children. This is a good example of how they can be responsible leaders outside of the National Assembly.

Officers at the Ministry and I will, in the meanwhile, be talking to all Guyanese parents/guardians we meet whether personally, in groups or virtually about this issue.

We could do with help though, and indeed plead with all political, religious and community leaders and MPs, to do their duty to help develop Guyana and help us out by delivering this very useful message to parents.

Sincerely,

Priya Manickchand 

Minister of Education.

Source: https://www.inewsguyana.com/letter-from-education-minister-priya-manickchand/

With 13 grade ones and two grade twos, Maria Lisa Thakurdin of Jacklow is top hinterland scholarship student .

Growing up as a child along the Pomeroon River presents many challenges as well as opportunities. Travelling to school is usually frenzied as children often travel far distances by boat, at the mercy of heavy rains or hot sunshine. Such travels also incur a financial burden on parents, many whom are unable to meet this demand. These harsh realities sometimes force students to abandon their dreams of a quality education; but there are those who eventually defy these odds.

Like Maria Lisa Thakurdin, of Anna Regina Multilateral School; she earned 13 grade ones and two grade twos at this year’s CSEC examinations. In addition to being one of the top five students at ARMS, which includes the country’s two best performers, Thakurdin of Jacklow, Pomeroon, a traditional rural farming area, is this year’s top CSEC hinterland scholarship student.
She secured grade one passes in Mathematics, English A, English B, Integrated Science, Social Studies, Human and Social Biology, Economics, EDPM, Agricultural Science, Office Administration, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts and Physical Education. Her grade two subjects are Spanish and Information Technology.

“I feel so happy and excited – but a little shocked because I didn’t expect to do so well,” an elated Thakurdin told Guyana Times Sunday Magazine in an interview. But while the sixteen year-old now celebrates her success, her journey has not been relatively easy.
School experiences
Born Sept 13, 1996, Maria is the eldest child of Calvin Thakurdin, a farmer, and Indera Thakurdin, a housewife; and big sister to brother, Ken. She attended the Jacklow Primary School where she wrote the NGSA a few years ago and earned a place at Queens College, placing 13th overall among Guyana’s best NGSA performers for that year. Then she also emerged top NGSA student for Pomeroon and the hinterland, gaining a government scholarship.

But excited as she was to earn a space at QC, considered the country’s top premier secondary school, her parents decided Maria should attend ARMS, located in the Essequibo district. This decision is quite common in the Pomeroon: parents opt to send their children to schools that are situated closer to home instead of choose relocation as a result of NGSA allocations.
However, for Maria this meant hours of daily travelling by river and road to get to school. “It was fatiguing… stressful, but eventually it became enjoyable as I got accustomed to it every day,” Maria related.
Some days she was lucky to get a “passage” (a free boat ride with family or relatives) from home in Jacklow to Charity; other days she used the commercial boat service. Maria then had to take a minibus from Charity to ARMS. She left home as early as 7.30 hrs in the morning and would return late in the evenings. The travels incurred a daily expense of about $1,000.

The situation was challenging but Maria was undaunted. She remained focused on her studies and continued to perform well throughout her school years, always securing the highest grade in her class. She acknowledged the support of her parents, especially her mother, who stayed up late at nights with Maria as she studied, and who actively participated in school-related events.
With an overarching desire to excel, Maria said she was further motivated by her parents and teachers. She began taking extra lessons for mathematics and English A in Form Three. By fourth form, she was taking extra lessons for all subjects not only in the afternoons after school but during her lunch break. While some of the lessons were private, some were free of cost, offered by Maria’s subject teachers at ARMS.

“The teachers gave us free lessons outside of the school curriculum. They took time off of their schedules to give us extra teachings so I am very thankful for that,” Maria highlighted. The headteacher, she observed, directly supported students too.

Crucial days
Coming up to CSEC, the experience became more challenging for Maria. Already burdened by extra lessons, the School-Based Assessments (SBAs) and regular in-class assignments kept piling up. Maria had to spend many hours late in the nights, sometimes way up into the morning, to get the work done in time for submission. There is no electricity in the Pomeroon, and while Maria was fortunate to have solar powered electricity, there are children who are not so lucky. They often resort to lanterns or battery-operated flashlights to do homework and study.
Nevertheless, it was still a struggle for Maria. “My mom had to wake me sometimes….I barely got to sleep. Sometimes I barely got three hours of sleep,” she reflected.

Today though, her efforts have paid off and she can advise other hinterland students to “…study hard, focus on your education and make the best of every opportunity.”
With a passion for banking and finance, Maria plans to further her studies in economics at the University of Guyana. She has already been accepted to Republic Bank’s apprenticeship programme, and plans to pursue this opportunity in the meantime.

While Maria celebrates her success, so is her entire community of Jacklow and the wider Pomeroon. She has clearly demonstrated that notwithstanding the challenges in hinterland areas, children can rise above obstacles and perform on par with their peers from coastland areas who can access better facilities.

Source: (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine) https://www.guyanatimesinternational.com/?p=28032

Even though he wrote so many Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects that essentially make him eligible to be accepted to do nearly any course at most Caribbean Universities, Teakaram Singh is fully cognizant of the fact that his academic journey now officially begins.

The 17-year-old has surpassed his own expectations, made his family proud, and satisfied those who imparted knowledge in him and guided him to the attainment of the results he received last Tuesday.
Singh sat 15 subjects at the most recent exam. The Queenstown, Essequibo-born teen managed to secure 14 ones and one two.  Those grades allowed him to secure 12th space in Guyana’s list of the outstanding top 20 performances. Singh also brought third in his school—Anna Regina Multilateral—and was the only male in the school’s top five.
Of the 14 ones, Singh gained eight distinctions. He wrote Mathematics, English Language, English Literature, Physics, Biology, Human and Social Biology, Technical Drawing, Electricity, Agricultural Science, Physical Education, Social Studies, Principles of Business, Information Technology and Integrated Science. The teen also did Chemistry, the one subject he didn’t gain a grade one in.
He told this publication that he took lessons for Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Human and Social Biology, Technical Drawing and Electricity.
Singh said his favourite subject is Mathematics while his weakest is English Language… which he passed with a distinction.

Asked about the source of his motivation to sit 15 subjects, Singh said that he knew he had the ability and so decided to challenge himself.
The teen told Kaieteur News that he knew he would have done well, but never expected such success.
Singh said that early Tuesday morning he “got a tip” of the extent of his success but couldn’t believe it. The teen said that when he heard his results coming out of Education Minister Priya Manickchand’s mouth, “My nerves went haywire.” Singh said that he felt immediately transformed, “I became frozen and shivers travelled through my body.”
According to Singh, he managed to maintain his composure during the ceremony, receiving a bouquet of flowers for his achievements, and it was only when he went home that it all sank in.
He said he owes his success to God, his teachers, the late-night lessons, the hard studies and his very supportive parents—Danieram and Salochanie Singh—both of whom he lives with, along with his older brother, Aditya.
The elated teen said come September, he wants to start the law course at the University of Guyana.  He said he would be moving to Georgetown in order to attend the tertiary institution and intends as well to further his professional career in the city.

“I will get cases back home and I will visit from time to time.” Asked where he sees himself five years from now, Singh said that he is aware that in totality, “law studies usually takes seven years so in five years I should be three-quarter way through”.
The teen said he is not yet sure if he is going to go the full mile – as in to write for his doctorate -but admitted that he “can get used to being called Dr. Singh”.
Singh reflected that he is glad that he could have brought honour to his parents who utilize all their resources for the good of himself and his brother. He said that his greatest hope in life is to be successful to help all his family and relatives.

Questioned about what he intends to give back to his school, Singh said that since fourth form, his focus was not only on CSEC, but he participated in many school activates like painting and building benabs in the school’s compound.
His recommendation to the persons who are writing the exams next year is to stay focused, which he said is most important. He also advised that they study and use every opportunity to get a better understanding of things.
Singh extended thanks to his friend Zimeena Rasheed—the top student—whom he said was his study partner. He concluded by saying that he lives by the words “never give up.”

Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/08/16/staying-focused-is-key-to-academic-success-says-csec-standout/

FOR the second consecutive year, a student from the Essequibo Coast in Region 2(Pomeroon/Supenaam) has topped the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations, this time with a regional record of twenty subjects.

Sixteen-year-old Zimeena Rasheed of Anna Regina Secondary School obtained 18 grade ones and 2 grade twos, making the Essequibo region – as well as all Guyana, proud once again and creating history as the writer of the largest number of subjects written by any candidate at this Caribbean exam, ever.
When Education Minister Priya Manickchand announced the results of the CSEC 2013 examinations at the Anna Regina Secondary School in Region 2, it was the first time the results have been announced outside of the capital city of Georgetown.

Following closely behind Zimeena Rasheed was Yogeeta Persaud, also of Anna Regina Secondary School. This former top student at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) gained the second position in the country with an outstanding 18 grade ones.
The third position was shared by Queen’s College students Phillipe Walker and Akeila Wiltshire, who both secured 16 grade ones and one grade two at the examination.
Cecil Cox and Akash Jairam of Queen’s College gained fifth and sixth positions respectively with 16 and 15 grade ones, 2 grade twos and 1 grade three.
Following closely behind them were their two Queen’s College colleagues Sharmila Ramlall and Shahrazaad Khan, who occupied seventh and eight positions respectively with 15 grade ones and 2 grade twos, and 15 grade ones and 1 grade two respectively.
Sharing the eighth position with Shahrazaad was Crystal Nelson of St. Rose’s High School, who gained 15 grade ones and 1 grade two.
Rounding off the top 10 position in the country were Parmeshivanie Seodat and Rafena Mustapha from the Saraswati Vidya Niketan school, who each gained 15 grade ones.

Addressing the large gathering of parents, teachers, Education officials and media representatives at the Anna Regina Secondary School, Minister Manickchand proudly revealed that there was a marked increase in the number of students gaining eight or more grade ones at the examination.
She said that 231 students gained eight or more grade ones at this year’s CSEC exam, compared to 175 in 2012; and she highlighted that 13,654 candidates sat the examination with a recorded number of 77,920 subject entries, and candidates were offered 34 subjects.
Additionally, of these 231 students, 69 secured 11 or more grade ones, as opposed to forty (40) in 2012.

Minister Manickchand said an analysis of the 2013 CSEC results revealed that the overall pass rate at the general and technical proficiencies for grades one to three was 59.31% as opposed to 58.69% in 2012.
Once again, female candidates outnumbered their male counterparts sitting the examination, with a recorded number of 8,649 females and 5,005 males, and private candidates accounted for 38% of the total entries.

Manickchand also revealed that the overall 2013 grade one to four pass rate was 80.92%, and there was an increase in the number of grade one to three and grade one to four passes.
She further revealed that there was a decline in the grade one to three passes in Mathematics from 29.69% in 2012 to 28.92% in 2013, while the grades one to three pass rate in English A improved from 37.02% in 2012 to 45.69 in 2013.
Responding to questions from the media, Manickchand noted that while she is very pleased with this year’s results, they acknowledge that there’s room for improvement in many areas; and the Education Ministry would have to look at those areas with a view to fixing them.

On the topic of the students’ performance in Mathematics, she related that this is nowhere near acceptable, while noting that this is one of the subject areas that the world is struggling with, and the ministry would have to find ways of making sure Guyana’s children grasp these concepts better, so that they can matriculate at higher rates.
According to her, the results in this particular subject area do not correspond with the investment made by the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Education, since there are numerous measures which were taken to change this.

She informed that in addition to providing materials, such as past papers, the ministry also has in place a system by which teachers have been given a planned weekly syllabus guiding what is taught on a weekly basis, in order for the syllabus to be completed by January of the examination year, and to allow for revision to commence.
Manickchand said that in addressing the issue of students’ performance in Mathematics, the ministry needs to start at the beginning, which includes examining what is being done in primary schools, and also how the teachers are being taught to teach at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

She said the fact that the top two students at this year’s examination are not from what are termed “top schools” reflects the Government of Guyana’s continuous quest to provide equal access to education to all Guyanese students.
“In fact, when you look at the results even closer, you will understand why we are so very pleased with the performance at this school, because the number of children who matriculated here, the number is very close to schools, and even exceeds the number in schools that we call top schools,” she asserted.

The Education Minister said this shows that if a government delivers services equitably, then people will benefit equitably, and their lives will improve proportionately and equitably, which is exactly what the Government of Guyana is doing, and continues to do.

Excellent performances at this year’s CSEC examinations were recorded in 15 subjects where the grade one to three passes exceeded 75%, and these subjects included Food and Nutrition, French, Information Technology, Additional Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering Technology and Religious Education.
Satisfactory performances were recorded in 16 subjects where the grade one to three passes exceeded 50% while grade one to four passes exceeded 75%, and these subjects included Biology, Caribbean History, English B, Principles of Business, and Social Studies.

Source: https://guyanachronicle.com/2013/08/14/region-2-again-tops-country-in-csec-results-zimeena-rasheed-creates-history-with-20-subjects-18-grade-ones-2-grade-twos-classmate-from-anna-regina-secondary-yogeeta-persaud-gets-18-ones

–    Maths, English still cause for concern

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand was all smiles yesterday as she celebrated both her birthday and the good academic performance of Guyana as reflected in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination.

In Essequibo yesterday morning at the Anna Regina Multilateral, Manickchand announced the general results that were obviously pleasing to her and her team from the Ministry—including Chief Education Officer, Olato Sam.
The Minister, which has been serving in the Education Ministry for just about two years, said that she was happy about the results and excited that she got to celebrate it at the school that the top two students attended.
Though not yet confirmed by the Education Ministry, it is believed that Zimeena Azealia Rasheed who topped the country with 18 grade ones and two grade twos, topped the Caribbean as well. Therefore the Minister was delighted that the work of her “hard working” teachers has paid off.

What Manickchand wasn’t thrilled about was the fact that even though the overall academic results for CSEC have noticeably improved, performances in the two key subject areas—Mathematics and English—have left much to be desired, putting it mildly.
Grades One to Three passes in Mathematics, English Language (A) and Clothing and Textiles were less than fifty percent (50%). Passes for English A were recorded at 45.69 percent marking an increase compared to last year’s 37.02 percent, while passes for Mathematics were recorded at 28.92 percent representing a decrease from last year’s 29.69 percent pass rate.

Manickchand disclosed that in Mathematics, there was a slight decline in the Grades One to Three passes; from 30.35 percent in 2011 and 29.69 percent in 2012 to 28.92 percent in 2013.
Performance in English B, the Minister said, improved from 59.72% in 2011 and 56.5 percent in 2012 to 61.06 percent in 2013 (Grades One to Three). Grades One to Three pass rate in English A improved from 37.02 percent in 2012 to 45.69 percent in 2013.
Additional Mathematics which was written for the first time in 2012 and had a pass percentage of 58.33 percent improved to 80.83 percent in 2013.
Minister Manickchand said that she has to sit with her team to strategize other tactics to go about tackling the problems in Mathematics especially. She said that for the amount of resources the Ministry is pumping into the subject area, the results are indeed disappointing.

On the brighter side, excellent performances were recorded in Agriculture Science (DA & SA) and Integrated Science. And improvements were recorded in Biology and Chemistry compared to 2012.
Kaieteur News has learnt that this year saw an increase in the number of candidates who wrote the CSEC; as well as the number of subject entries. Thirteen thousand, six hundred fifty-four (13,654) students (8649 were females and 5005 males) wrote the examination this year. Of that amount, 8563 were public entries, while 5091 were private school candidates. Private candidates amounted to approximately 38 percent of the total entries.
The analysis of the 2013 CSEC results revealed that the overall pass rate at the General and Technical proficiencies for Grade One to Three was 59.31 percent as opposed to 58.69 percent in 2012. The overall 2013 Grade One to Grade Four pass rate was 80.92 percent.

These rates compared with last year, indicate an increase in the Grade One to Three and Grade One to Four passes.
Candidates from Guyana wrote thirty-four (34) subjects at the examination.
Of these subjects the results indicated excellent performances in fifteen (15) subjects where the Grade One to Three passes exceeded seventy five percent.

The fifteen subjects are: Agriculture Science (DA), Agriculture Science (SA), Economics, Food & Nutrition, French, Information Technology, Integrated Science, Religious Education, Theatre Arts, Electronic Document Preparation and Management, Physical Education & Sport, Additional Mathematics, Building Technology (Const.), Building Technology (Woods) and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
Satisfactory performances were recorded in sixteen subjects where the Grades One to Three passes exceeded fifty percent while Grades One to Four passes were in excess of seventy-five percent, these subjects were: Biology, Caribbean History, Chemistry, English B, Geography, Home Economics, Office Administration, Physics, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, Social Studies, Spanish, Technical Drawing, Visual Arts, Human and Social Biology, and Electrical & Electronic Technology.

The overall performances in four (4) subjects were unsatisfactory, Mathematics and English included.
There were improvements in Biology and Chemistry compared to 2012. Grade One to Three performances in Physics declined from 68.69 percent in 2012 to 54.38 percent in 2013.

The Grade One to Three performances in Human and Social Biology improved from 55.84percent in 2012 to 61.38percent in 2013.
In the Business Education subjects – the performance in Office Administration, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business could be described as satisfactory.
Information Technology (General) once again recorded an excellent performance this year 75.58 percent, while Principles of Accounts improved from 53.74 percent 2012 to 71.95 percent in 2013.

In the Home Economics subjects, the pass rate in Food & Nutrition was 80.94, while Home Economic Management declined from 82.83 percent in 2012 to 73.01 percent in 2013. Clothing & Textiles showed a significant decline in performance from 76.63 percent in 2012 to 47.11 percent in 2013.
In the Industrial Technology subjects – Building Technology (Const) and Building Technology (Woods) recorded improvements in the Grade One to Three passes, with the latter improving from 63.37 percent to 81.08 percent. Mechanical Engineering Technology remained relatively constant.

In the Modern Languages subjects – French and Spanish recorded excellent and satisfactory performances respectively, as did Theatre Arts and Physical Education & Sports with Grade One to Three passes over 75 percent.
Kaieteur News was made to understand that a full analysis of individual candidates’ performances is not yet available. According to Manickchand, her Ministry requested a list of candidates who have secured Grade One passes in eight or more subjects from the Caribbean Examinations Council.

“In response to our request for the list of persons who have secured Grade One passes in eight or more subjects, we received a list of two hundred and thirty-one (231) candidates, compared to one hundred and seventy five (175) in 2012.  Of these, sixty-nine (69) students secured 11 Grade Ones or more as opposed to forty (40) in 2012.”

Source: By Abena Rockcliffe; https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/08/14/guyana-did-exceptionally-well-at-csec-education-minister/

Shalita Appadu is this year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) top student making President’s College proud.
Appadu, who is not new to academic success, obtained six Grade Ones in Chemistry Unit 2; Biology Unit 2; Communication Studies; Caribbean Studies; Management of Business; Economics Unit 2; and one Grade Two in Economics Unit 1.

During a brief interview with this publication an elated Appadu wittily joked that she does not know how someone would obtain Grade One in Economics Unit 2 and a Grade Two in Economics Unit 1.
Two years ago, the Auchlyne Estate, Corentyne girl secured the top spot in the country alongside a student of Queen’s College at Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC). She had secured 15 Grade One passes.

Reflecting on her earlier success, Appadu said she went to President’s College with high expectations bestowed upon her. The young lady said President’s College had become her home and she was a loved daughter.
“All my teachers treated me well and expressed their expectations of me making the school proud. And I can tell you my school and teachers are proud. I am happy I could have done it,” she said.

Knowing the art of studying, young Appadu applied herself in group discussions, class discussions and personal studies. However, she found studying in groups more satisfying as she remembered best explaining various topics with her colleagues.
While, Appadu was the lone student to perform exceptionally well at President’s College, Queen’s College swept away the top positions among the 748 students who wrote the exam.

Melodie Lowe of Queen’s College captured the second position in the country with five Grade Ones. Lowe is also not new to being successful in her studies. The young lady secured four Grade Ones and one Grade Two at CAPE in 2012.
According to Lowe, “Not surprisingly, my CAPE results have brought much joy to me as well as to my parents, family and friends. I must thank the Lord above, my teachers, my parents and all others who have encouraged and inspired me. My grades have been a result of their support, coupled with hard work and application.

Though I felt confident I had done well after writing the exams, I still felt nervous awaiting the results. Now that the results are out, I am extremely satisfied with my performance. Let me use this opportunity to congratulate the other students who have done well at CSEC and CAPE, especially from my school, Queen’s College.”
Also from Queen’s College, 17-year-old Prashant Shivdas obtained Five Grade Ones. He intends to return to Queen’s College to continue second year CAPE. A modest, Shivdas told this publication that he is pretty excited about his success which he credits to hard work. He believes his parents are proud of his achievement.

Shivdas enlightened that his two friends of Queen’s College, Kaleshwar Singh and Deowattie Narine, who also received five Grade Ones each, were out of the country.  Both Narine and Singh are former students of The Bishops’ High School and captured fourth and fifth positions in the country when they sat CSEC in 2012.
The other two Queen’s College students to obtain five Grade Ones are Anuradha Dev and Benedict Sukra. Last year, Sukra secured ninth position for the country at CSEC. Amrita Milling, Andy Sattan, of Queen’s College and Anil Tulsie of St. Stanislaus College obtained four Grade Ones and one Grade Two each. And, Malinie Tulsie obtained four Grade Ones, one Grade Two, and one Grade Three.

And Jonnelle James and Rooana Rose of Queen’s College obtained four Grade Ones and one Grade Three, and four Grade Ones respectively.
In 2012, James had topped the country at CAPE securing five Grade One passes in Biology, Caribbean Studies, Chemistry, Food and Nutrition and Pure Mathematics.
According to the Ministry of Education, the overall pass rate in 2013 is 86.6 percent. This is an increase from 2011 when a pass rate of 82.5 percent was attained and a marginal increase over the 86.2 percent pass rate in 2012. An increase was noted in the number of Grades I attained in 2013.

This year the entries were received from eight public schools and two private entities. The analysis of the 2013 performance of public schools showed increases in the pass rates for The Bishops’ High, New Amsterdam Multilateral, Queen’s College and St. Rose’s when compared to 2012.

It was noted that the overall pass percentages at St. Stanislaus College, St. Joseph High and Mackenzie High declined, while performance at President’s College remained relatively constant.
Performance at New Amsterdam Multilateral has been consistently improving (82.7 percent in 2011, 87.19 percent in 2012 and 89.04 percent in 2013) and there has been a notable increase in the pass percentage at St. Rose’s High (79.89 percent in 2012 when compared to 87.03 percent in 2013).
The Bishops’ High moved from 95.49 percent in 2012 to 98.19 percent in 2013; Queen’s College moved from 86.62 percent in 2012 to 89.19 percent in 2013.

Source: https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/08/14/presidents-college-girl-tops-cape/

Two girls from the Cinderella County of Essequibo have continued their friendly academic rivalry and emerged to become the country’s top performers at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations.
The two Anna Regina Multilateral students secured an astonishing 18 grade ones.

Zimeena Rasheed, the former C.V. Nunes Primary School Student who secured fifth position at the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) six years ago, is now the country’s top CSEC performer with 18 grade ones and 2 grade twos. She is believed to be the first ever student to write 20 subjects at one sitting.
Rasheed was followed by former classmate of the C.V. Nunes Primary School, and Guyana’s top NGSA student of 2008, Yogeeta Persaud, who secured a perfect 18 grade ones.

The results were announced yesterday morning by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand who travelled to Essequibo for that specific purpose.
Region Two also came under the spotlight last year when 16-year-old Sarah Hack who attended the Abrams Zuil Secondary School scored 16 Grade ones, not only topping the country, but the Caribbean as well.
During an interview with Kaieteur News, Zimeena Rasheed, who aspires to work in the field of Structural Engineering, said that preparing for her exams called for a lot of studying and sacrifices.
Rasheed who actually wrote 21 subjects at CSEC said that her career choice was based on the fact that she is fascinated with buildings and interior designs. The top student said while she had not considered pursuing sixth form, she is ready for the University of Guyana.

The young lady, who is a member of the Presidents Youth Award Republic of Guyana (PYARG), said that her favourite subject is Technical Drawing. She has a brown belt in Karate, a subject area that she also pursued at CSEC examinations.
“I want to firstly thank God, and my parents. I would also like to thank my teachers for their support and my colleagues for their support,” a smiling Rasheed told Kaieteur News.
Her friendly academic rival, Yogeeta Persaud, who was quite bold but understandably emotional, said that it was after Minister Manickchand announced her as the second place student in the country, she broke down in tears in disbelief of what she had heard.
The 16 year-old said that with all the accomplishments so far she has not yet decided on a definite career path but is thinking about venturing into the field of medicine.

COOL, CALM AND COLLECTIVE
The former SSEE top student (back in 2008) encourages students who would sit the exam to remain cool, calm and collective, while focusing on the goal ahead. She added that this can only be accomplished if the relevant sacrifices are made.
Third-placed Phillipe Walker who obtained 16 grade ones and one grade two, said that preparing for his exams was a simple exercise. “I never had sleepless nights or over studied; I just remained calmed and focused during the examination period.”
The Science student added that he took extra lessons in other subject areas, including Economics, to achieve his goal. Walker admitted that he had fears when sitting the examination but prayed and remained composed.
The ecstatic young man said that after his summer vacation, he will continue at his school, Queen’s College, in the sixth form and plans to further his studies in Medicine internationally.
“I want to thank God because none of this would have been possible and my parents for all their support,” Walker said in conclusion.
Securing 16 grade ones and 1 grade two, Akeila Wiltshire said that she was not among her peers who “overworked themselves” to do well. She ensured that she was properly rested. The Queen’s College student said that while she was confident of success, her achievement as a top four performer definitely surpassed her expectations. The Under-15 Squash Champion said that without the support of her family and teachers, her success at this year’s examinations would not have been possible.

FOCUSED THROUGHOUT
Fifth place went to Cecil Cox of Queen’s College, who said that he viewed the examination as a “good” opportunity for him to excel in his academics. Cox who is not sure of his next move reflected that the examinations were difficult at times, but he remained focused throughout.
He said that the most difficult area for him was the foreign languages, as in Spanish, he only had one year to prepare.
His schoolmate, Akash Jairam, is aiming to be a student of Harvard University, 16 year-old Akash said that the examination period was a mixed bag, but he was “able to pull through and defy all odds”.
The Business student who was elated about his 15 ones, two twos and one three, said that apart from his stream subjects, he pursued the subject area of Physics, but it posed a number of difficulties as he also had only one year to prepare.
Jairam said that he plans to go to American University to pursue studies in either Business or Law thanked the teachers of Queen’s College who helped him through the “stress and drama” of School Based Assessments (SBAs). He also gave a heartfelt thanks to his parents who gave him tremendous support.

FLOATING ON CLOUD NINE
When contacted by this publication, aspiring Cardiologist Sharmila Ramlall, who obtained 15 ones and two twos, said that she is unable to bring herself “back to normal”, as she was still feeling as though she was “floating on cloud nine”. The young lady noted that while the examination was not much of a struggle, she had to turn her “determination mode on”, in order to complete and submit her School Based Assessments (SBA) on time. Ramlall said that she went into the examination with an open mind, so as to not be disappointed, should the results not be in her favour. She plans to pursue studies for CAPE, come next year.

Shahrazaad Khan, whose 15 ones and one two are equally impressive, spoke of his interest in the field of Forensics. The 17-year-old Shahrazaad Khan described some of the subjects as easy while others were complex. The Queen’s College student said that her most demanding subject was Physics because of its challenging questions.
The elated teen told this publication that she plans to further her studies at the sixth form level at Queen’s College, but is not too sure where she will be pursuing her dreams of being a Forensic Scientist.
“I want to thank Allah and my parents, grandparents, relatives and teachers for all their support,” Khan said.
And amiable Crystal Nelson was the only St. Rose’s High School student to make it into this year’s top 10. The aspiring Pediatrician is hoping for a scholarship in order to pursue her studies. She told Kaieteur News that while everyone expected her to be among the tops, she was not very hopeful. However, she maintained that giving up her novels and television time to study has paid off. She added that the key to her success today is prioritizing.
“I believe that there is a time for everything, and months before the exams was the time for me to study, and I am glad that it paid off,” an obviously ecstatic Nelson said.
She attributed her good grades to the support of her teachers, parents, and god, without whom she believes, nothing is possible.

Kaieteur News was unable to make contact with the final of the top 10 performers- Parmeshivanie Seodat and Rafena Mustapha, students of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan, both of whom obtained 15 grade ones. But will feature them in a subsequent edition.
Following them with 14 grade ones and a grade two were Anna Regina Secondary School’s Teakaram Singh; Nabeeha Ali and Kezia Daniels of Queen’s College; Fatima Haniff of ISA Islamic Academy, as well as Anuradha Sookdeo and Romini Sukhai of Saraswati Vidya Niketan.
Securing 14 grade ones were Bibi Latiff of the Anna Regina Secondary School, Nicholas Elliot, Sayyid Rajab, and Sasha Woodroffe all of Queen’s College, and Muneshwar Singh of Saraswati Vidya Niketan.

Source: By Rehana Ahamad and Javone Vickerie  https://www.kaieteurnewsonline.com/2013/08/14/anna-regina-multilateral-tops-csec/

Guyana has recorded an improved pass rate of 38.7% at Mathematics at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, which Education Minister Priya Manickchand reported as the best performance in the subject in the country’s history.

Manickchand made this declaration during the announcement of the results of the 2014 CSEC and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency (CAPE) Unit One examinations yesterday, where it was revealed that less than 40% of candidates this year who wrote Mathematics gained more than Grade Three.

Manickchand noted that the pass rate pertained to 13,724 candidates who sat this year’s CSEC examinations

The Ministry also released pass rates from 1990 to the present showing the performances in Mathematics and substantiating that some gains have been made in Guyana and not simply a cross-section, since Mathematics is a mandatory subject. “In many countries in the Caribbean, only students who passed a pre-test are allowed to write Mathematics at CXC,” she said. She continued, “…For the last two years, we have mandated that every single child must write Mathematics and English. So this 39% you’re seeing here is actually 39% of the entire population and not 39% of our good students.”

Of the candidates who sat this year’s CSEC examinations, 8,642 were from public schools, while 5,082 or 37% were from private schools. The gender breakdown showed that there were 8,837 female candidates, while there were 4887 male candidates.

This year’s overall pass rate for the General and Technical proficiencies for Grades One to Three in the 35 subjects offered in Guyana at the CSEC level was 60.21%, a less than 1% increase from last year’s 59.31%. The overall Grade One to Grade Four pass rate was 88.44%.

The overall pass rate for CAPE was pegged at 85.07 %, with 798 students sitting the examination. This represents a slight decrease from 2013, where a pass rate of 86.6% was achieved. An increase was noted in the Grades III to V performances. Sixty-four percent of entrants were females while 36 % were males.

“No Unit recorded a pass rate that was below 50%,” Manickchand noted.

Pilot project yields improved results

Meanwhile, the 41 schools where the Ministry of Education’s Mathe-matics and English A pilot project was launched for CSEC students recorded dramatic improvements in Mathematics. The programme was launched in 2011, following the ministry’s observations of much-needed emphasis on the subjects.

In English A this year, the pass rate was 46.98%, representing a just over 1% increase from last year’s 45.69%. The ministry’s pilot programme in this subject also saw notable improvements.

The Ministry, however, did acknowledge that Mathematics and English were among the four subjects where “unsatisfactory” performances were registered. The other two were Music and Visual Arts.

In contrast, “excellent” performances were recorded in 12 subjects, where the Grades One to Three passes exceeded 75%: Agriculture Science (Sin-gle Award), Food & Nutrition, French, Home Economics Management, Information Technology, Physics, Religious Edu-cation, Theatre Arts, Electronic Document Preparation and Manage-ment, Physical Education & Sport, Additional Mathematics and Building Technology (Const.).

Physical Education & Sports recorded 100% Grade One to Three pass rate, Manickchand noted. In the Home Economics subjects, she added, increases were recorded in all areas. “The pass rate in Food & Nutrition was 80.94% in 2013 and 88.12% in 2014. Significant improvement was noted in Clothing & Textiles from 2013 to 2014, where the Grades One to Three pass rate was 47.11% and 63.41%, respectively. Home Economics Management moved from 73.01% in 2013 to 88.97% in 2014,” she said.

She also highlighted the improvement in the Grades One to Three passes in French from 85.71% in 2013 to 88.65% in 2014 as well as Grade One to Three passes over 75% in Theatre Arts.

The Ministry reported that “satisfactory” performances were recorded in 19 subjects, where the Grades One to Three passes exceeded 50%, while Grades One to Four passes were in excess of 75%: Agricultural Science (DA), Biology, Caribbean History, Chemistry, Clothing & Textiles, Economics, English B, Geography, Integrated Science, Office Administration, Principles of Accounts, Principles of Business, Social Studies, Spanish, Technical Drawing, Human and Social Biology, Building Technology (Woods), Electrical & Electronic Technology and Mechanical Engineering Technology.

The Grades One to Three passes in Human and Social Biology improved from 61.38% in 2013 to 62.2% in 2014. However, there was a drop in Industrial Technology subjects. “Performances in Mechanical Engineering Technology moved from 78.62% in 2013 to 72.74% in 2014,” Manickchand added.

 Top Performing Schools

Queen’s College secured the highest pass rate, with 98.77%, while The Bishops’ High School came a close second with 98.7%.

Secondary Schools with pass rates of 80% and more included Anna Regina Multilateral, West Dem-erara Secondary, Zeeburg Secondary, Leguan Secon-dary, President’s College, Annandale Secondary, J C Chandisingh Secondary, Mackenzie High, Queen’s College, The Bishops’ High School, St Joseph High, St Stanislaus College, St Rose’s High, Central High and Brickdam Secondary.

Out of 192 candidates securing grade ones in 11 subjects and more, 50 of these students were from Queen’s College. The performances of the Bishops’ High School, Saraswati Vidya Niketan and Anna Regina Multilateral were also notable; these schools had 20, 18, and 17 candidates, respectively.

Queen’s College again topped the CAPE results, with two students gaining seven grades one.

Nine public schools had candidates who wrote CAPE subjects along with three private schools— the Saraswati Vidya Niketan, the New Guyana School and the Adult Education Association.

Students achieved a 100% pass rate in 12 units: Art & Design Unit 1; Electrical and Electronic Technology Unit 1; Environmental Science Unit 1; Food and Nutrition Unit 1; Geography Unit 1; Spanish Unit 1; Digital Media Unit 1; Food & Nutrition Unit 2; Geography Unit 2; Information Technology Unit 2; Literatures in English Unit 2 and Spanish Unit 2.

Further, in the following twenty-five Units the pass rate was 75% or higher with Grade 1 to 5 passes: Accounting Unit 1 and Unit 2; Applied Mathematics Unit 1 and Unit 2; Biology Unit 1 and Unit 2; Caribbean Studies Unit 1; Chemistry Unit 2; Communication Studies Unit 1; Computer Science Unit 1 and Unit 2; Economics Unit 1 and Unit 2; Environmental Science Unit 2; Information Technology Unit 1; Law Unit 1 and Unit 2; Literatures in English Unit 1; Management of Business Unit 1 and Unit 2; Physics Unit 1 and Unit 2; Pure Mathematics Unit 2; Sociology Unit 1 and Unit 2.

Pure Mathematics Unit 1 remained somewhat constant with 58.59% in 2013 and 57.73% in 2014, Manickchand stated.

Digital Media was written for the first time and there was a 100% pass rate, while over 95% pass rates were recorded in Caribbean Studies and Communication Studies.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2014/news/guyana/08/13/maths-passes-csec-improve-record-high/