Expansion works have commenced on the main building at the Linden Technical Institute, according to a release from the Ministry of Education. 

Yesterday, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand turned the sod for works to begin.  In a comment, Manickchand noted that “this critical expansion initiative, valued at $43,322,000, represents a significant investment in the future of technical and vocational education in Linden and its surrounding areas.”

The release said that Manickchand emphasized the significance of this project, stating, “The expansion of Linden Technical Institute is a testament to our government’s commitment to providing quality education and training opportunities for our youth. This project will not only benefit the students of today but will also contribute to the long-term economic development of Linden and the surrounding areas.”

The project, is being executed by Phoenix Engineering Enterprise. With a planned duration of six months, the expansion will enhance the institute’s capacity to serve 250 students, providing them with improved facilities and access to cutting-edge training in various technical fields.

The mobilization amount for the project is $12,996,600, ensuring that construction progresses on schedule and that the necessary resources are in place for the timely completion of the extension, the release said.

As a means of gaining both employment and experience simultaneously, five students from the   institute will be working on the project and will be paid a stipend. They are: Esuan Fraser, Electrical Installation;  Ksena McKinnon, General Construction; Walter Couch-man, General Construction; Latrell Whinfield, General Construction; and Tevonn Layne, Electrical Installation.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2024/08/13/news/guyana/work-starts-on-linden-technical-institute-extension/

The distribution of the school supplies cash grant commenced on Monday and Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said that a sum of $1.8 billion will be handed out to schools across the country this year.

“This year $1.8B, for these terms alone, which is what we are giving out now is going to be given directly to schools to allow the school autonomy about how they purchase cleaning, janitorial and office supplies,” Manickchand said.

She made the disclosure during a distribution exercise on Monday at the Anna Regina Secondary School in Region Two.

Through the initiative which was rolled out last year, teachers from the coastland regions will receive $4,500 per student to make purchases for their classroom while teachers in the hinterland will receive $5,500 for each student in their classroom.

To ensure, transparency and accountability, Manickchand said the entire process is being audited.

“As we pack at the bank…the auditors are there. They accompany us….so that they can audit the way this is being done to make sure this is being done according to our fiscal rules.

“It’s not a grant to do whatever one wants with it. It’s a grant to provide whatever materials and supplies,” she explained.

And coming out of feedback, the Minister said that teachers are required to provide receipts of their purchases.

“If you are using it for the reason it is given, you shouldn’t have a problem with producing receipts.

“If teachers want to combine their efforts and buy together…that’s fine with us but schools will work that out internally,” she said.

The long term goal, Manickchand explained, is to have the monies transferred to the bank accounts of schools instead of it being physically distributed.

At present, she said only 44 schools have bank accounts.

Highlighting that this may be a challenge for some schools, especially in the hinterland areas, Manickchand said the hope is to ensure that most if not all schools have a bank account by September this year.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2024/02/06/1-8b-in-school-supplies-cash-grant-for-distribution-this-year-entire-process-being-audited/

Minister of  Education, Priya Manickchand, recently launched the construction of the $215, 802, 200 George Tancredo Nappi Secondary School in Nappi, Region Nine.

This new  educational institution is a transformative project aimed at advancing the quest for universal secondary education in our country and particularly in Guyana’s hinterland regions.

The school will cater to 300 students from the villages of Nappi, Hiawa, and Parishara, offering Grades 7 to 11 and eliminating the need for children to travel to St. Ignatius for secondary education.

The school, named in honor of the late toshao George Tancredo, reflects the community’s desire to commemorate his dream of bringing a secondary school to Nappi. Tancredo tirelessly championed the cause, envisioning a future where children in his village could access quality education close to home.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Manickchand highlighted the significance of this development.

“When you can have a school in this village where your children can be educated safely and comfortably, today the Tancredo dream is coming true. Today, we know the cries and the pleas of George Tancredo will not go in vain, because that’s how we lead. We hear you, we listen to you, and we never fail to take into consideration what it is you want.”

The contract for the project has been awarded to Beerdat Harrinandan through the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), following all regulations outlined in the Procurement Act. Construction is scheduled to be completed within nine months.

In her address to the contractor, Minister Manickchand emphasized the importance of timely delivery and high-quality work.

“For you, this is a project, but for us, this is changing lives for the children of Nappi, Hiawa, and Parishara. We want to see good work, which is what you’re being paid to do, and why you signed a contract. We want to see it on time and at cost. Don’t overrun your time, don’t overrun your cost, and give us solid work.” For his part the contractor said he had enough material on the ground to have him continue the works at a pace that would see him finishing as per contractual date.

The construction of the school is also providing employment opportunities for the village, as labor is being sourced exclusively from within the community. This approach ensures that the project benefits local families beyond education, fostering economic growth and community empowerment.

During a meeting with villagers, teachers, parents, and students, Minister Manickchand underscored the government’s commitment to providing the necessary resources for the holistic development of hinterland communities. She described the potential of Nappi and its surrounding villages, emphasizing the importance of education as a pathway to limitless possibilities.

“Your village has the capacity to produce the president of this country, to produce doctors, to produce lawyers, farmers, accountants—anything your children want to be. But you can only achieve that if you have the resources. What are those resources? You need to have a school to sit in. And when you sit in that school, you need a strong, solid, high-quality  education with trained teachers. And then we must support your parents and the students to ensure they can benefit fully and enjoy the experience thoroughly.”

The George Tancredo Nappi Secondary School will stand as a symbol of the community’s determination to provide better opportunities for their children. It is part of the Ministry of  Education’s larger initiative to achieve Universal Secondary Education in Guyana. In Region Nine alone, seven secondary schools are currently under construction, including Karasabai, Maruranau, Tabatinga, Massara, Yupukari, and Katoka.

These investments reflect the government’s belief that education is the foundation for national progress and individual empowerment. By addressing disparities in access and quality, particularly in hinterland regions, the government aims to create a more equitable education system where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

The George Tancredo Nappi Secondary School will not only provide access to education but also honor a visionary leader whose dream of uplifting his community through education is finally being realized (Ministry of Education press release)

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2024/11/25/new-215m-george-tancredo-secondary-school-for-nappi/

Teachers across Guyana have received their promised 10 per cent retroactive salary increases, the Ministry of  Education revealed on Wednesday.

“The 10% increase and the salary adjustments have put more than $2.5 billion in the hands of our  educators countrywide,” the ministry stated.

The News Room understands that teachers in all regions except Region Ten received their increases. The teachers in that region will get their increases soon with payroll set be to completed in short order.

The increase is in keeping with the recently signed memorandum of agreement between the government and the Guyana Teachers’ Union.

“This underscores our commitment to valuing the hard work and dedication of our educators. A total of 14,786 teachers have benefitted, providing much-needed support to teachers and recognizing their vital role in shaping the future of our nation. We thank our teachers for their unwavering commitment to educating our children and building a brighter future for Guyana,” the ministry said.

The agreement for salary increases was finally inked after months of intense negotiations.

The deal covers the period 2024 to 2026 with teachers expected to get a direct 27% increase in salaries over the next three years. In 2024, they will get a 10% increase; in 2025, an 8% increase and in 2026, a 9% increase.

The increases can be adjusted if any general public service salary increases are higher.

Teachers across the country who engaged in strike action for more than two months returned to schools at the end of June, as the Education Ministry and GTU agreed to negotiate a new deal.

For context, an initial five-week strike began on February 5, with teachers demanding higher salary increases and duty-free concessions, among other benefits.

After a court-mediated process in March, talks between the Education Ministry and GTU resumed. Discussions were halted when the Education Ministry indicated that there was no fiscal space to cater for increases for the period 2019 -2023. Increases for 2024 and future years were put for consideration instead.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2024/10/23/over-14000-teachers-receive-10-salary-increase/

The Ministry of Education on Tuesday launched a teachers’ college pilot project to improve Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) mathematics grades, with a stern warning that under-performing teachers would be removed.

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand said the aim is to improve the pass rate to 45 or 50 percent, up from just over 30 percent this year.

The pilot project will target 4th and 5th formers at 50 secondary schools across Guyana. Students are also being provided with textbooks, workbooks, past examination papers, geometry sets and calculators.

Ms Manickchand said the schools were selected as their students mostly secured grade 4 in maths.

Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain and Ms Manickchand issued the warning at the launch of the pilot project at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown.

Ms Manickchand appealed to parents to play their part by ensuring that their children study maths.

The Chief Education Officer said 50 monitors, who would be performing at the level of education officers, would be dedicatedly focusing on teaching and learning of mathematics.

Mr Hussain said maths teachers must not find themselves saddled with the submission of records, but focus on teaching the subject.

Source: https://demerarawaves.com/2024/09/10/pilot-project-to-improve-csec-math-performance/

In a significant step towards enhancing educational opportunities in Guyana’s hinterland, the Honourable Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, ceremoniously turned the sod today for the construction of the Monkey Mountain Secondary School.

This initiative is part of a broader effort by the government to expand access to secondary education across the country, aligning with its ambitious goal to achieve universal secondary education by 2025.

The project, which is part of a larger allocation of $407,659,560 for the construction of secondary schools in Region Eight, signifies a crucial investment in the educational infrastructure of the area.

The Monkey Mountain Secondary School is expected to cater to the educational needs of students from the communities of Monkey Mountain, Taruka and Tusseneng. The complex will host a teachers’ quarters and a small dormitory for the children of Taruka and Tusseneng.

Minister Manickchand highlighted the importance of the new school, stating that it will alleviate the burden on existing educational facilities such as Paramakatoi by accommodating an averaged 250 secondary-aged children.

Currently, students from these communities have had to travel significant distances to access secondary education, often facing logistical challenges due to the limited availability of schools in the region.

The construction contract, valued at $208,282,809, has been awarded to K’s Trucking & Construction Service, as announced by the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB), pursuant to public advertisements in the newspapers and the World Wide Web.

This contract includes facilities such as laboratories, an Information Technology lab, and a library, ensuring that students have access to modern learning resources upon completion. The training of teachers is currently ongoing and more teachers were identified to begin training for instruction at the secondary level.

During her address, Minister Manickchand underscored the holistic approach of the project, mentioning that alongside the school, provisions will be made for a teachers’ quarters to accommodate staff, given the remote location of Monkey Mountain. This measure aims to attract and retain qualified educators, thereby ensuring the delivery of quality education to students in the area.

Residents of Monkey Mountain expressed their deep gratitude, anticipation and appreciation for the new school, and the relief it will bring to their families. The residents chose to let their current grade six children be educated in the community pending the completion of the school.

A local resident of the community expressed that the dreams and wishes of the community have come true.

“Now that we will have a brand-new secondary school constructed right in our village, our children will be able to get educated from the nursery level right up to secondary and I can speak for most parents when I say that we can now die happily seeing the development of our village.”

In addition to Monkey Mountain, secondary schools are being constructed in Micobie and Kopinang while dorm facilities and schools are being significantly upgraded at Paramakatoi and Kato.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2024/07/01/sod-turned-for-208m-secondary-school-at-monkey-mountain/

Nine contractors who are executing contracts for the Ministry of Education, including those building new schools, were written to, flagging delays and substandard work.

This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand during a press conference held in Kingston, Georgetown on Tuesday.

Manickchand detailed the Education Ministry’s plans to build and/or extend nursery, primary and secondary schools all across Guyana. Such construction, she explained, is necessary to improve access to education, especially in hinterland communities where learning is hindered by overcrowding or the outright unavailability of schools.

But contract issues hinder that ambitious goal.

“We are starting and hope to finish more than 30 secondary schools across this school in under five years.

“We haven’t changed out contractors so yes, we are suffering from people who are crossing over timelines,” she said at the press conference.

Though affirming that she and officials from her ministry have been engaging contractors frequently, Manickchand noted that some contractors have engaged on their work.

“So far, we had to write nine contractors for either their quality or breaches and (we) began the process of liquidated damages,” the Education Minister highlighted.

She later clarified that no liquidated damages have been applied as yet.

Liquidated damages refer to a provision allowing for the payment of a specified sum in the case of a breach of contract. Last month, President Dr. Irfaan Ali issued a stern warning to defaulting contractors, indicating that the government will go after those contractors who have gone past their project deadline and the justifiable extensions.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2024/05/15/education-ministry-writes-nine-contractors-over-contract-delays-substandard-work/

More than 15,000 children were registered to write the 2024 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and based on available data, Education Minister Priya Manickchand said less than 450 pupils were absent.

A reconciliation of that number is needed since there may be instances where children wrote the assessment at different centres, according to the Education Minister.

The NGSA is Guyana’s secondary school entrance examination. It tests four core subjects: Mathematics, Science, English and Social Studies.

Because of this low absenteeism rate, Manickchand opined that the education sector is recovering well following the losses experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our statistics on turnout this year has shown us that we’ve done better as an education system and I’d like to keep that up and improve on it where we have no one absent,” Manickchand said at a recent press conference.

Further, she attributed these improvements to direct injections from her ministry including providing children with the textbooks they need, cash grants and breakfast for the children in Grade Six.

“… and the ability to use the various other resources might’ve helped children feel less hopeless than they were feeling before,” she said too.

The results of this year’s assessment will be available by the first week of July. The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has already started the process of marking the scripts.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2024/05/20/with-fewer-pupils-absent-at-ngsa-manickchand-upbeat-about-education-sectors-recovery/

Amid a flurry of objections from the opposition, the government on Tuesday morning used its majority in Parliament to affirm the University of Guyana (UG) Amendment Order 2024 to expand UG’s council.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand presented the motion to amend the University of Guyana Act.

The order, she said, sought to increase the number of council members from 26 to 32 and add new representatives from various organizations including young people.  Manickchand emphasized that this move is intended to give effect to Article 13 of the Constitution, which aims to establish an inclusive democracy by providing opportunities for citizens and their organizations to participate in decision-making processes.

The minister also highlighted the importance of involving young people in decision-making processes and said that the world has moved away from the idea that children should be seen but not heard. She noted that young people should be able to influence decisions made on their behalf and participate actively in those decisions.

Manickchand emphasized that the amendment is intended to make the university more inclusive and representative of Guyanese society as a whole.

In addition to the Trades Union Congress, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of Guyana will now be able to make a nomination.  There will also be a representative each from Christian, Muslim and Hindu organisations.

Whereas the minister was  previously able to appoint three persons, she can now appoint six.

When it was her turn, APNU+AFC Member of Parliament (MP) Coretta McDonald, argued against the motion, stating that it is a further attempt by the government to exert control over the university and undermine its autonomy. She charged that the motion seeks to give the Minister arbitrary power to appoint members to the University Council and allows for political interference in academic decisions.

McDonald further argued that the government’s track record shows a consistent pattern of controlling and manipulating institutions, including the University of Guyana. In this regard, she mentioned specific instances, such as the refusal to sign a World Bank loan for the university and the allocation of a large sum of money to the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme, which she believes is a way for the government to exert control over the university.

McDonald also argued that the amendment contradicts international trends and principles of institutional autonomy, citing examples from other countries where universities are autonomous and independent. She warned that politicization of education can have serious consequences, including eroding public trust, stifling innovation and limiting academic freedom.

McDonald said that the inclusion of Amerindians and youth in the amendment was a mere attempt to co-opt them into supporting the government’s agenda. She expressed the belief that true representation and participation must come from meaningful involvement in decision-making processes, rather than simply being included on a council.

Following McDonald’s critique of the government’s attempt to exert control over UG and its alleged disregard for institutional autonomy and academic freedom, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport  Charles Ramson rebutted. He argued for the motion to be passed, while other MPs from the Opposition, like Sherod Duncan and Ganesh Mahipaul, followed McDonald’s lead.

After much back and forth and after the voting process which saw the ruling party having a narrow majority of “ayes”, the motion was passed in favour of the government. The parliamentary opposition had urged the government to send the matter to a Special Select Committee for further scrutiny before voting on it.

As a result of this parliamentary move, the university’s governing council will now change from having 26 to 32 members. The order was issued on June 26, 2024, and published in the official gazette on June 27, 2024.

On Sunday, the PNCR condemned the move by the government to expand the council.

It said: “Guyanese must condemn the recent blatant moves by the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Education, to grab control of the Council of the University of Guyana, the highest governing body of the university. The PNCR pledges here and now that, as the next government, we will reverse or neutralize these and all other measures that subvert the administrative and academic independence of the university.

“The measures in question involve changes to the composition of the University Council, where the PPP and its allies will now have a majority on the council by increasing their nominees and appointees by eight and reducing the number of nominees by the Chancellor of the University from six to four”.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2024/07/11/news/guyana/order-affirmed-expanding-ug-council/

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand yesterday spearheaded the launch of a new library at the Hampton Court Primary School, Essequibo.

A release from the ministry said that the library currently boasts an average of 460 books, offering a diverse collection to support educational growth.

The new space will serve as a hub for educational activities, enabling students to expand their knowledge beyond the classroom. By providing access to books, computers, and other learning resources, the Hampton Court library is expected to play a critical role in helping students achieve their full potential.  

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2024/11/07/news/guyana/education-minister-launches-library-at-hampton-court-primary/