The Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) has confirmed that the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination Mathematics Paper II was leaked ahead of the exams.

A video statement from Guyana’s Education Minister, Priya Manickchand on Friday noted that CXC also confirmed that the paper was not leaked in Guyana.

The Council has since agreed to mark Paper I and the School-Based Assessment (SBA) but will now “completely disregard” Mathematics Paper II.

The CXC had launched a probe into reports that the exam paper was leaked earlier this week and on Friday, met with Education Ministers in the region to reveal their findings.

“The findings are, the paper was in fact available before the beginning of the exam or before when it was scheduled to be legitimately available. They have confirmed that it did not occur in Guyana, so I want to be very clear about that,” Manickchand said in her statement.

She noted that although the breach did not happen in Guyana and several other countries, the entire region will be treated equally “as far as the solution goes.”

“I want Guyanese children to know that your best interest is being looked at; this is the most sensible application [solution] at this point, to your Mathematics exam Paper II,” the Education Minister noted.

In a message to CSEC students who are still sitting exams, Manickchand on behalf of the Government of Guyana, said, “Don’t let this interfere with anything else that you’re doing right now.

“You’re sitting other exams, you’re preparing for other exams, go ahead and do that to the best of your ability. Put this behind you and trust us to make sure your Paper I and SBA are properly counted.”

During an interview with the News Room on Thursday, Manickchand had made it clear that there was nothing to suggest that the leak came from Guyana.

In Guyana, sitting Mathematics at CSEC is compulsory but some students write it in Grade 10 (Form Four) while most write it in Grade 11 (Form Five).

Moreover, the Education Minister offered reassurances for the strict system locally to guard against such eventualities. She said the government has invested heavily to ensure these documents remain safe and insisted that leaks are highly improbable.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2023/05/19/cxc-confirms-maths-paper-ii-was-leaked-did-not-originate-in-guyana/

The Saraswati Vidya Niketan in collaboration with the Ministry of Education yesterday celebrated being named the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) School of the Year 2022 and honoured the CAPE Top student 2022, Atishta Seenarine.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand along with Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary), Tiffany Harvey; Deputy Chief Education Officer (Development)  Volika Jaikishun; Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Rabindra Singh; Superintendent of Examinations, Sauda Kadir; Regional Education Officer Region Three, Akbar Chindu and other senior officers within the Ministry of Education joined the celebrations which were hosted in the school’s main hall in Cornelia Ida, West Coast Demerara.

A release from the ministry said that in brief remarks Manickchand congratulated the school on its achievement. She noted that since its establishment, it has been producing excellent results.

Seenarine expressed gratitude to those who supported her during her examinations.

During her remarks, the Deputy Principal of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan, Nirmala Singh noted that the Saraswati Vidya Niketan started offering CAPE in 2013 and offers an extensive CAPE programme. She thanked the teachers for their dedication to ensuring the students are provided with the support needed not only for their academic success but also to produce well-rounded individuals.

Atishta secured nine Grade Ones at CAPE 2022 and was named the Regional Top student.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2023/03/11/news/guyana/svn-celebrates-being-named-cape-school-of-the-year/

The newly built Samuel B. Moffat Wing at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School was commissioned on Thursday.

The $172.6 million block is a single flat building with a capacity to accommodate over 150 students. The new wing houses ten classrooms, the Deputy Headteacher’s office, a furnished Information Technology laboratory and a staff room.

 In remarks at the Commissioning Minister of Eduction Priya Manickchand said that the new block was constructed to cater to the growing population of the school. She noted that the Ministry of Education is addressing the issue of overcrowding in several schools.

“We have begun to address this not only at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School but shortly we will be commissioning a new block at the St.Winefride’s Secondary School. We are rebuilding the Christ Church Secondary School, the North Ruimveldt Secondary, the St George’s High School and the St Mary’s High School so by next September we are not going to have a space problem”, the Minister said.

Ms. Manickchand said that investments in education are continuously being made to ensure students receive a quality education. She explained that as part of the Government’s investment in the education sector, all secondary school students will receive text books to assist them with their learning and studies.

Headteacher of the East Ruimveldt Secondary School, Ms. Katheryn Fraser noted that the school’s intake increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, which resulted in students being housed in tents in the school’s compound. She said she is grateful for the new wing, which has created a much more comfortable environment for the students and their teachers.

The new wing has been named after one of the school’s former Headmasters, Samuel B. Moffat.

The headteacher explained said Mr Moffat was a disciplinarian who dedicated his service to ensuring students were provided with the opportunities to compete not only academically by athletically as well.

Source: https://newssourcegy.com/education/new-wing-at-east-ruimveldt-secondary-school-commissioned/

The sum of $31.7M, part of $24B in supplementary funding being sought by the government, was approved by the Parliamentary Committee of Supply on Tuesday for the procurement of new furniture and equipment by the Ministry of Education.

Subject Minister Priya Manickchand told her colleague Members of Parliament that the two schools to benefit are the Arthurville Primary School on Wakenaam Island, Region Three, and the Zeelugt Primary School, also in Region Three.

Manickchand reminded that the state-of-the-art $84 million Arthurville primary school was officially commissioned in November and with the addition of new modern labs, new furnishing was necessary.

Similarly, in May, the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development awarded a contract to the tune of $152,040,045 for the reconstruction of the Zeelugt Primary School.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2023/12/19/31m-to-buy-new-furniture-equipment-for-arthurville-zeelugt-primary-schools/

As part of efforts to instill needed skills in Guyanese students, President Dr. Irfaan Ali on Wednesday announced his intentions to explore making Spanish a compulsory subject in secondary schools across Guyana.

The Head of State, while addressing the opening of the new Good Hope Secondary School, said learning this language would be an asset to any student given Guyana’s geographic location.

According to him, not seriously studying a foreign language while attending the St. Stanislaus High School is one of his regrets.

And since becoming Head of State, Dr. Ali said his appreciation for the language has grown tremendously, so much so that he believes students should be required to learn Spanish.

“We now have to move towards making Spanish compulsory in our school system because it is vitally important for young people coming up in this country,” he said.

Furthermore, Dr. Ali said learning a foreign language will help to make students more marketable when they enter the world of work.

With these benefits, the President said he will ask the relevant authorities to fully examine the steps needed to push language learning in Guyana.

And even though he spoke extensively on the value of learning Spanish, Dr. Ali did not discount the value of learning other foreign languages. He said learning Spanish should be the minimum foreign language requirement in schools.

Aside from the emphasis placed on learning a foreign language, President Ali was keen on noting that his government will be focusing on skills training too. This, he said, will complement the more traditional focus on academic studies culminating in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2023/06/22/spanish-could-become-compulsory-subject-in-schools-pres-ali/

The Ministry of Education today announced an initiative to provide grants to teachers across the country to assist with procuring classroom resources; the aim being to bridge educational disparities.

Under this programme, teachers will receive grants on a per-child basis every term. Schools located along the coast will be allocated $4,000 per child, while those in the hinterland will receive $5,500 per child.

According to the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, this initiative is the result of the many complaints received over the years from teachers who have stated they were not given adequate resources to deliver a child- friendly classroom.

“School supplies were usually bought in bulk and teachers complained that they either got things they didn’t need or because of the procurement process … involved in obtaining these materials, the goods took too long to arrive”, she said.

Manickchand noted that the distribution of these grants will allow teachers to acquire the necessary materials needed to directly benefit their unique teaching methods. From janitorial and office supplies to materials for outdoor activities, educators will have the flexibility to tailor their classrooms to suit their students’ needs.

The minister emphasised the transformative potential of this programme while noting that this initiative is expected to promote creativity and innovation in the classroom, as teachers can now invest in supplies that directly benefit their unique teaching methods.

Additionally, the increased resources allocated to schools are anticipated to result in vibrant and well-maintained classrooms, significantly enhancing the overall educational experience for students, it was posited.

A meeting was held with the Head teachers of schools across Region Three today after which the grants will begin to roll out to each region.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2023/09/15/news/guyana/education-ministry-to-give-classroom-grants-to-teachers/

The Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) yesterday held its Regional Top Awards Ceremony for outstanding performances in the May – June 2022 CXC Examination Session, a release from the Ministry of Education stated.

The Awards honoured outstanding students and schools at both the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) level. The release listed the following awardees.

Uotam Heeralall of the Anna Regina Secondary School received the Most Outstanding Overall performer at the CSEC level. His award was presented by Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand. Heeralall also received the award for the Most Outstanding student in Technical and Vocational Education. That award was presented by Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical), Dr Ritesh Tularam.

Atista Seenarine of the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School received the Most Outstanding Overall student award for CAPE. Her award was handed over by Chief Education Officer, Saddam Hussain. Seenarine also received the award for the Most Out-standing student in Natural Science at CAPE. The Executive Director of the National Accreditation Council, Dr Marcel Hutson, presented this award.

Saskia Twahir of Queen’s College received the award for Most Out-standing in Business at the CSEC level and she received her award from the Permanent Secretary, Alfred King. Twahir also received the award for being Most Outstanding in Humanities at CSEC. That award was presented by Chief Planning Officer, Nicola Johnson.

Sheridan Dyal, also of Queen’s College, received the award for Most Out-standing in Sciences at CSEC. It was presented by Deputy Chief Education Officer (Inspectorate), Sadiek Ishmael.

The headteacher of the Anna Regina Secondary School, Lalljeet Ruplall, received the award for his school which was declared the top CSEC school of the year. He received this award from the Director of School Boards, Deonarine Hardat.

The top CAPE school of the year award went to the Saraswati Vidya Niketan School. The principal of the Cyril Potter College of Education, Noella Joseph, presented this award to the Regional Education Officer, Akbar Chindu, who received it on behalf of the school.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2023/02/10/news/guyana/guyanese-students-collect-top-cxc-regional-awards/

The Good Hope Secondary School on the East Coast of Demerara was commissioned yesterday by President Irfaan Ali.

The US$5.15 million state-of-the-art school was constructed to accommodate 800 students from grades 7 to 11 within new housing developments as well as from overcrowded secondary schools nearby. The school was designed by VIKAB Engineering in 2017 and construction works commenced on site during October 2018. The original contract with BK International for the Construction works was terminated in May 2021.The school was completed by Deen+Partners using an engineering procurement and construction turnkey contract. The final construction cost some US$5.15M.

The construction of the school falls under the Secondary Education Improvement Project and is being funded by the World Bank.

President Ali in his address noted that “the secondary school is not just about the physical infrastructure but a streaming system for life-long experiences…”

Facilities provided include an administrative block which will accommodate the principal, vice-principal, staff room, and guidance counsellor. The multi-purpose hall may be used for large gatherings as well as indoor sports. A canteen is provided within this building. Fully equipped home economics and TVET buildings have been provided to cater for skills-based learning. Science laboratories comprising physics, chemistry, and biology, have been constructed. The allied arts department will cater for music, visual arts, and a dance studio.

In addition there are 25 classrooms along with two information technology laboratories, a smart room, and an audio-visual room. A large library has been provided to cater for reading and research.

The entire facility was designed to accommodate persons with special needs through the use of ramps and 2 elevators. Male and female washrooms are provided for all students and teachers. These will be connected to a pressurized water system to ensure adequate supply at all times. There is also a parking area.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand in her remarks yesterday posited that the closure of the primary tops at Paradise, Enterprise, and Enmore, will be possible with the completion of the school. She noted that it will ease the overcrowding at the secondary schools in Cummings Lodge, Bladen Hall, Golden Grove and Plaisance.

“We are well on our way to achieving universal secondary education…We know what you want for your children is for them to be better than you are. We know that is what every parent wants. We want them to have a life of quality,” the Education Minister was quoted as saying.

She also assured that what the government is doing doesn’t end here as construction of other schools is ongoing, while some have been completed and some are under construction. She referenced the way the East Coast, Linden/Soesdyke Highway, and the East Bank students suffered because there were two schools that were supposed to be built there. One at Prospect and one at Yarrowkabra. Neither was started. Manickchand also disclosed that in about a month’s time, the Yarrowkabra Secondary School will be completed to house all the students who are attending primary tops. Also present at the opening of the school were: World Bank country representative Guyana and Suriname, Diletta Doretti; Good Hope Secondary Headmistress, Anisah Woolford-Saunders; and Education Officer, Faith Joe-Gulliver.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2023/06/22/news/guyana/billion-dollar-good-hope-secondary-school-commissioned/

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony and others yesterday turned the sod for the construction of a new building for the University of Guyana’s College of Medical Sciences.

The project which is being funded by the World Bank costs US$4.9m and is being constructed by Shandong Hi-Speed Dejian Group Co. Ltd. The building is expected to be completed in 15 months. 

A release from the Ministry of Education said that the modern facility will be equipped with a lecture theatre which will accommodate 200 students and laboratories for anatomy, biochemistry, histopathology and haematology among others.

Delivering remarks, Manickchand stated that not only will medical students be accommodated more comfortably, but with the expansion of the college, more eligible students who are interested in pursuing a medical degree will be able to join the programme.

University of Guyana’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohammed Martin said that the project underwent a lengthy design process. She further expressed gratitude for the commencement of the project.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2023/11/25/news/guyana/sod-turned-for-us4-9m-college-of-medical-sciences-building/

Aimed at transforming the delivery of education by improving information sharing and efficiency in schools, the Ministry of Education on Monday launched the Education Management Information System (EMIS) software.

The software was designed with a series of applications to cater for the management of data at the ministry level and in classrooms.

It will enable administrators and teachers to efficiently manage data within the education sector data, enabling them to take effective measures to resolve issues.

The EMIS was launched at Pegasus Corporate Suites in Georgetown in the presence of key education officials, including head teachers and teachers from schools across the country.

The EMIS will also be able to store enrollment information, transfer requests, attendance, grades, end-of-year processing, class portal, teacher web pages, parent portal, teacher information, and timetables.

Delivering remarks at the ceremony, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said she looks forward to seeing the system being implemented in an effective manner.

She urged teachers to take time to understand the system and how it works to contribute to improved learning.

“I truly want this to be such an integrated system that it’s not piloted anywhere. It is in every school, every learning institution, every education district, and every department…available to everyone who wants to track or determine how service can be improved by using numbers,” Manickchand said.

She added, “…In this country, there is very little space for people who don’t want to get familiar with how to use these systems. You will be left behind.”

Describing the software as a “new future” in Guyana’s education system, Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain said the launch of the software is the “most significant” thing that has happened in the education sector within the last 30 years.

Additionally, Chief Planning Officer, Nicola Johnson said the introduction of the new system will empower educators to make decisions based on evidence.

She emphasised that there will be enhanced accountability at every level whether it relates to a shortage of resources or teachers in a district.

“In this rapidly changing digital age, technology is being used to advance the education system. Implementing EMIS for us, isn’t just joining that trend. It’s about preparing our children for the 21^st century. This will empower educators, policymakers and administrators to make informed decisions based on evidence,” Johnson said.

“…Transparency will be offered. We can ensure better accountability at all levels with such a system. We can identify gaps in the education system…EMIS can help us pinpoint and address these issues ensuring every Guyanese can receive a quality education thereby enabling us to address equity in the system,” she added.

Currently, a total of 1,573 educational institutions, including public and private schools, are registered on the system.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2023/10/30/a-new-future-software-launched-to-improve-information-sharing-efficiency-at-schools/