With a slowdown in the vaccination rate of children between the ages of 12 and 17 and the vaccination for younger children yet to begin, the Minister of Education Priya Manickchand made it clear today that unvaccinated children will not be blocked from attending classes.

Less than 30% of children between the ages of 12 and 17-years-old have been vaccinated, with thousands of parents deciding against having their children inoculated against COVID-19.

In a post on her Facebook page, Minister Manickchand said vaccination remains voluntary and children cannot be denied their education for not being vaccinated.

“From the beginning, we said that vaccination against COVID 19 of persons in this country would be purely voluntary. We went further and were very clear that children would not be denied their education because of a failure or refusal to take the vaccine”, Manickchand said.

Her statement came in response to reports coming out of Region Seven that unvaccinated students were being prevented from attending classes. The Minister said she has already reached out to the Education officials in that region to make clear the government policy.

“The children of Region 7 must be allowed back into school as were the children of the rest of the country. The Regional Education Officer has been so instructed and advised, and all stakeholders, and particularly the Regional Democratic Council, would be expected to do all that is possible to make this happen. We will continue to fiercely defend the right of children to education“, the Education Minister said.

Schools in Guyana were allowed to reopen their doors for face-to-face learning back in October as the government rolled out a vaccination campaign for students.

However, the Education Ministry allowed schools to set their own individual programmes for the return to in-person learning. Some high schools have continued virtual learning for students in the lower forms while allowing those in Forms 4 and 5 to return to the classrooms.

In the case of nursery and primary schools, many of them have put a rotation system in place for various classes to host in-person sessions.

Source: https://newssourcegy.com/news/unvaccinated-children-cannot-be-blocked-from-attending-classes-education-minister/

Ahead of the release of the results of this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE), Guyana has been engaging the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) on some ‘ungraded’ results.

The results for the Caribbean were announced at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre at Liliendaal, Georgetown on Thursday. There, CXC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Registrar Dr Wayne Wesley revealed that some education ministries across the Caribbean have been engaging CXC on some concerns with the results provided by the Council.

When asked by the News Room, Guyana’s Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said that Guyana’s Education Ministry was one of those ministries engaging CXC on some concerns.

When asked for further clarity, she stated: “… all of our queries were in relation to ungraded (results) in Mathematics and some in Geography.”

She, however, noted that the ministry started engaging CXC on these concerns days before and that many of the issues raised have been addressed. According to Manickchand, the ministry has been assured that CXC will continue to address those concerns raised.

While engaging reporters at the sidelines of the event, the Education Minister added that the results from this year’s examinations, including the names of the top performers and pass rates, will be announced at a later date – once the concerns raised have all been addressed.

Across the region, Dr. Wesley said that other ministers have been engaging CXC on similar concerns about ungraded results and also on queries that are “operational and administrative in nature”.

Specifically, on the ungraded results, Dr. Wesley stated that these are not final results but that CXC will continue to engage schools and ministries on getting the input – such as outstanding School-Based Assessment (SBA) grades- so that these grades can be finalised.

It is important to note that Dr. Wesley also related that CXC made the decision to engage these stakeholders before the release of the results to the candidates, in light of the major discrepancies that were raised after last year’s results. On Thursday, it was noted that some 11,451 CAPE grade reviews were done while 9,999 reviews were done at the CSEC levels.

This year, candidates will be able to access their results online from Friday evening. Additionally, if students and candidates still have concerns beyond those raised by the Ministries of Education, Dr. Wesley said that they have until November 15 to raise those queries or concerns.

“We hope that is at a minimum and we are not expecting that really,” he said.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/10/14/guyana-engaging-cxc-on-ungraded-results-again-top-performers-to-be-announced-later/

The Education Bill that was presented to the National Assembly in 2014 could help the Education Ministry get much-needed information from private schools.

This is according to the newly crafted Education Sector Plan for the period 2021 to 2025; this plan was launched at the beginning of September, coinciding with the observances for education month 2021.

As part of this plan, efforts were made to analyse access to education in Guyana. It was, however, noted that the lack of comprehensive data from private schools is one challenge for the education ministry.

“While the ministry does not receive information from many private schools, it is estimated that the private sector in education accounts for less than ten per cent of the number of students,” Chapter Two of the plan stated.

The plan, however, noted that the ministry can use data from the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations to estimate the number of children in private schools.

Still, it was noted that under the current Education Act – which was last amended in 1976 – the Education Ministry cannot compel private schools to submit data to its statistical unit.

“A new Education Bill which has been drafted and which had one reading in Parliament would provide that authority but the Bill has been stuck for an inordinately long time without being passed,” the plan stated.

This bill was tabled in the National Assembly in 2014 by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand; it seeks to replace the existing 1876 Education Act that was last amended in 1976.

It was reported that this bill would help reform the legal framework for education in Guyana, but the 2014 bill was only read once and it was not passed.

Under Guyana’s current Education Act, all public schools must keep a register of learners that details the children’s name, date of birth, address alongside other biographical data and contact information.

And, it is this register that has allowed the education ministry to make the $3.2 billion allocation to adequately cater for the total cash grant distribution to all public school children.

This is not mandatory for private schools, however. Still, in July, Minister Manickchand told the News Room that the government was exploring the distribution of cash grants to private school children, too. As such, a register of learners attending those schools in Guyana would be necessary to allow the ministry to determine the sum that can cater for the disbursement of the grants to these children too.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/09/04/2014-education-bill-could-help-ministry-get-information-from-private-schools/

The Ministry of Education has noted the uncaring and unconscionable call for strike action by the Guyana Teachers Union; we condemn this action as irresponsible and not reflective of the realities of the present state of the COVID-19 pandemic nor the needs of the nation’s children.

Here are the facts; our children have been home from school for over seventeen months; despite the world’s best efforts, there has been a well-chronicled resultant loss of learning and school-leaving (dropping out). Here in Guyana, we have evidence of significant learning loss and drop-outs at every level, with more than six hundred drop-outs recorded at the primary level alone. We are working assiduously to arrest this situation and reverse this reality for our children who have already fallen victim to these phenomena.

We want all of our children engaged and in school and are working towards achieving this safely. There is no mandatory requirement for children to be vaccinated to return to classrooms.

Our teachers have been accorded the status of a most valuable resource and teachers were paid their full salary and benefits throughout the seventeen months; there were no salary cuts or layoffs as in so many other countries. Vaccination of teachers is not mandatory and there are clear guidelines issued for those who do not want to be inoculated all of this to keep teachers, their families, and our children safe. The Government of Guyana has spared no effort to make vaccines available to every member of the public and return the country to a state of normalcy. Multiple types and brands of vaccines are still available and easily accessible to all Guyanese.

The Ministry of Education is adamant that there is no grievance/basis for strike action and urges all teachers, parents, and administrators not to fall prey to the political machinations of Coretta McDonald and the small cabal of self-serving individuals who have hijacked the Guyana Teachers Union. The Ministry reminds all that teachers who do not work do not get paid.

The Ministry calls upon the teachers of this country to reject the unconscionable call of the GTU, Coretta McDonald, and her political cohorts in favor of serving the children of our nation and advancing their education and socialization as we exit this pandemic and reclaim our lives.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/09/07/call-for-strike-by-teachers-union-uncaring-and-unconscionable-education-ministry/

Though Guyanese students have not been spared from the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, highlighted that these students prefer to sit the examinations offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) this year.

She made this statement on Tuesday at the sidelines of an event held at the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) in Kingston, Georgetown, in response to a statement issued by Caribbean representatives of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).

The UNICEF Representatives, in a recent statement, called on Education Ministers and the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) to adjust the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) due to COVID-19.

Recommendations they offered include those offered before by the Caribbean Union of Teachers Union (CUT), including:

1. Paper 1 should only test rationalized topics that are tested in Paper  2 and not the entire syllabi as the said syllabi would not have been completed;
2. For Paper  2, remove all hurdles including compulsory questions and ensure that no one question item  should test two or more content areas;
3. Extend the start of the examination by three weeks and release the rationalized board topics immediately to students and teachers in order to facilitate effective preparation.

Further, they called on Education Ministers in Caribbean countries to expand and intensify mental health and psychosocial support for children preparing for the examinations; confirm placement in schools and offset financial costs for children who defer sitting the examination until next year; and, clarify how the prevalence of COVID-19 cases will be taken into consideration.

The representatives, however, acknowledged that efforts are being made by CXC to reduce certain examination requirements and make concessions for students.

“What they (the UNICEF Representatives) are asking for is good, that we make sure we have psychosocial support for children who are writing these exams, that we make sure we support kids in every way,” Minister Manickchand said.

But, she also noted that the local education ministry was not consulted on the statement, though the Representative of the UNICEF Office for Guyana, Nicolas Pron, was one of the representatives who signed the statement.

“If we were (consulted), we would have been able to offer some insight on what’s being done here as well as, some of the things being asked for have already been decided by CXC,” the Education Minister said.

Speaking about local efforts made to ensure that students are not disadvantaged as they prepare to sit the CSEC and CAPE examinations, she reminded members of the media that students in the examination classes- that is, Forms Four, Five and Six – were allowed to return to schools while all other level remained closed for in-person teaching.

This has allowed for the timely completion of School-Based Assessments (SBAs) which, Manickchand said, are “in order and ready.”

“Most of our students hold the view that they want to write the exams this year,” the minister highlighted.

She hastened to add, however, that the local education authorities are not insensitive to the plight of students in other Caribbean countries who may not have been able to benefit from similar response systems put in place by the local authorities.

DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT

The UNICEF Representatives did not advocate for a deferral of the examinations to next year in their statement but lamented that the current pandemic context has further exacerbated the gaps in preparedness amongst the most disadvantaged students.

“This year, there is a higher risk of those students in vulnerable conditions never sitting the exams. This could seriously affect not only their further education at higher secondary or tertiary levels, but their future,” the statement read.

Continued partial or full school closures and difficulties in accessing online learning challenges were key challenges raised by the representatives, who pointed out the disproportionate effect of the pandemic. Importantly, the negative impact of natural disasters, such as the volcanic eruption in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, on students, was highlighted too.

“Teachers, parents and students themselves repeatedly expressed their worries about the low levels of preparedness, as the pandemic and the related impact on education prevented students from attaining learning outcomes as desired,” the statement related.

In the local context, however, Minister Manickchand emphasised that efforts have been made to prepare students for these examinations. She also noted that rounds of consultations have guided the interventions and decisions made by the ministry.

“We may have different views and that is why I said that while the UNICEF representative from Guyana, who is also responsible for Suriname and Trinidad, has signed that statement, it does not necessarily reflect what we in the ministry feel but we support anything that supports children,” Manickchand said.

Meanwhile, the UNICEF statement also affirmed that UNICEF is committed to supporting ongoing efforts but underscored that equity and inclusivity are important, especially for those children and young people, who are now at heightened risk of being left behind.

“We also stand ready to support and accompany the Ministries of Education in the respective Caribbean countries to provide technical support in further developing and implementing the proposed changes,” the statement concluded.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/05/25/most-guyanese-students-prefer-to-write-cxc-exams-this-year/

The adolescent COVID-19 vaccination programme continued yesterday at the St. Joseph High School on Woolford Avenue and saw another huge turnout.

The Ministries of Health and Education continued their collaboration to administer Pfizer vaccines to children between the ages of 12 and 17. Yesterday’s drive catered for students attending the St. Joseph High, North Georgetown Secondary, Tutorial High School and Richard Ishmael Secondary School.

When Stabroek News visited the site just before they closed off for the day, staff conducting the vaccination drive revealed that there was a good turnout of students, with them surpassing the amount that they expected initially. It was noted that there was a steady flow of persons coming into the school to be inoculated and as a result it was estimated that they had administered hundreds of jabs at that time.

Meanwhile, during Health Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony’s daily COVID-19 update, he stated that the usual mobile teams have been converted to do vaccinations for schoolchildren and as such a schedule has been worked out with the education ministry to go to the various schools.

“We really hope that we can get the cooperation of parents and if the trend continues as we have seen at MovieTowne, I think very soon we will be able to vaccinate our entire school population and these children would be able to return to school in a very safe environment,” Dr. Anthony said.

An estimated 2,000 children were inoculated on Sunday at MovieTowne. A total of 70,000 students are being targeted. The United States government donated 146,250 doses of the Pfizer vaccine for the campaign. Each child will require two shots three weeks apart. The campaign was launched last Thursday.

The adolescent programme is expected to continue across the country with inoculation drives at the Diamond Secondary School and  Bladen Hall Secondary School set for today.  Other schools will see inoculation campaigns on Wednesday and Thursday.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2021/08/31/news/guyana/hundreds-of-children-vaccinated-at-st-joseph-high/

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Friday, commissioned smart classrooms at the New Amsterdam Secondary and the Skeldon Line Path secondary schools.

While at the New Amsterdam Secondary School, Minister Manickchand said that she was very excited to be commissioning the smart classroom in the region, making it the first such facility commissioned in the region at a public school. The Skeldon Line Path Secondary School’s smart classroom is the second in the region; the two classrooms are the fifth and sixth smart classrooms to be commissioned across Guyana.

Manickchand said everyone must be cognizant of the difficult experiences being faced by Guyana and the world at large due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She said that the pandemic has been a sobering experience for all and has had a tremendous impact on the education sector.

She said that COVID-19 forced schools to be closed and showed how important technology is to education delivery. However, even though the Ministry of Education has a strategic focus on installing smart classrooms, Minister Manickchand said that there is an equal thrust to increase the number of trained teachers in the education system.

“Even as we do the smart classrooms across the country and improve facilities to access online teaching, we need to ensure that we pay attention to the training of teachers,” the Education Minister remarked.

She said that the two go hand in hand. She noted that beginning on Monday, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) will commence online training of teachers. This approach has allowed the college to increase its enrolment from approximately 500 students last year to over 2000 new students this year.

Manickchand explained that the sector would have moved from 32 per cent trained teachers in the 90s to 70 per cent over the last 15 years. Moving forward, Minister Manickchand said, “We commit to you that we will move to 100 per cent trained teachers in the public education system during this term in office. So while we are setting up smart classrooms we are training teachers.”

Minister Manickchand said that the smart classroom will allow the schools to teach lessons to students in any part of the country including the hinterland. This will serve to reduce the disparity in education delivery between the hinterland and coastal schools.

“We are building a programme in the Ministry to ensure that the smart classrooms are not just in schools but are being used effectively for the benefit of the students, teachers and the wider community,” the Minister registered.

Meanwhile, Headteacher of the New Amsterdam Secondary School, Vanessa Jacobs, during her remarks, said that her school does not have a physics teacher presently but with the smart classroom now ready to use, her school can benefit from the assistance of a physics teacher from another school such as Queen’s College in Georgetown.

The smart classrooms are equipped with items such as an interactive board, a television that allows teachers and students to connect and interact remotely. Motion and voice-activated cameras complete with a voice recognition feature are also installed to ensure effective communication between participants. (Modified release from Ministry of Education)

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/04/10/smart-classrooms-now-at-na-skeldon-line-path-secondary-schools/

One student each from every educational district in Guyana wAS awarded US$1,000 (GY$200,000) along with a trophy on Friday at the Guyana-China Friendship Youth Leadership Development Awards.

Participating students had to focus on three areas – a community-based project, critique a piece of art either visual or performing or physical fitness activity.

The competition was only open to students from Grades Eight to Ten.

The inaugural leadership programme started in March this year and saw over 100 students registered. It is a collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Guyana.

The winners who were recognized on Friday at a simple ceremony held at the National Centre for Research and Educational Development (NCERD) all showed exceptional leadership skills while maintaining their academic performance. The programme is intended to contribute to the development of the country.

“I believe I might be looking at the future artists, activists, majors, Parliamentarians even ministers or even President of Guyana. I am sure you will make great contributions to the development of your country,” the Chinese Ambassador to Guyana Guo Haiyan said.

The Ambassador said all of the students are critical thinkers, community builders and leaders.

The development of education and capacity building is an important area in the current China and Guyana bilateral relations. Through this partnership, Guyanese youth are provided with opportunities to study in world-renowned Chinese universities.

“The winners of today’s awards are welcome to apply, your application shall be prioritized if you can meet the required criteria,” the Chinese Ambassador revealed.

Xaria Holder, a student of Queen’s College emerged as one of the winners of the programme. She hails from Wortmanville, Georgetown and carried out a survey to determine the main issues facing the community.

“As a result of the survey, I chose to take care of the needs that I can readily provide like food, sanitary supplies and school supplies; I received generous donations from various organizations and individuals,” Holder explained.

She has managed to provide hampers for 16 families and says with the money she won, she will continue to prepare hampers for vulnerable families.

“I intend to make this project permanent and share hampers at the beginning of each school term,” Holder said.

“That is what we wanted to start to encourage this countrywide search for leadership,” Minister of Education Priya Manickchand stated.

She explained that the programme was designed to motivate children to explore their talents and skills in art, explore leadership ability and writing. She lauded the students who “stepped up and show they can lead.”

Sixteen-year-old Alister Henry from Moruca in Region One attends President’s College on the East Coast of Demerara. He also conducted a survey in his community and decided to set up a proper dumpsite.

“…my community didn’t have a proper dumpsite and people were using drainage systems as dumping sites and the place was getting a bad odour,” the young man explained.

To take his community project to another level, Henry is now trying to garner support from the government. He has since led a major clean-up activity with community leaders and volunteers.

Rahul Chu, 15, who is also from Region One and attends the North West Secondary School utilised this opportunity to better the roads in his community.

“Basically, my project was based on roads, wherein my community the roads are very bad…and that is why I embarked on this project so that I can improve my community.”

For 15-year-old Atoya Harvey, who attends the Uitvulgt Secondary School in Region Three, a community recreational facility was decided on.

“Most of the children in my community don’t get time to come out because of the COVID pandemic, so with the playground, they can get to free up and build their immune system by doing different type of activities.”

She is being supported by her teachers, parents and others in the community.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/12/17/11-students-win-us1000-each-in-guyana-china-youth-competition/

Fresh off the heels of CAPE being launched in Region Two at the Anna Regina Secondary school last Friday, Region Three is now offering the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations to their students for the first time via the West Demerara Secondary school.

Eleven students from the West Demerara School are currently enrolled in the CAPE programme and two students intend to gain the coveted associate degree which will shave two years off of their time at some universities.

Calling the West Demerara Secondary School the best in the region, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand underlined the power of investment, citing the example of a student from Wakenaam Secondary gaining 11 grade ones at the recent Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC).

Touching on other planned projects in the region such as new secondary schools to complement the 14 in the region, dorms at the Leonora Secondary to house 65 students, teaching quarters at Wakenaam and Leguan and nursery schools in communities like Parfait Harmonie; the Minister said that education impacts generations and she believes that bringing CAPE closer to home gives opportunities to more students, rejecting the criticism that she was “spreading herself thin”.

The importance of CAPE being offered in Region Three was highlighted by the story of Odilie Munroe from Mabaruma, Region One (Barima-Waini), who moved to live with her grandmother in Region Three to pursue her dreams of becoming an environmental officer. She chose this field because she wants to solve the pollution problems in Guyana, especially in Mabaruma. Odilie shared how this new programme has impacted her.

“My mother is from Region One and my grandmother took me to help me further my studies and she lives here and I wouldn’t want to go to do CAPE in town because it’s too far and it would be difficult for me.”

Another student, Tiann Connelly, who is working towards becoming an Obstetrician, said that although she had planned to attend sixth form in Georgetown, the challenges at the Demerara Harbour Bridge and the hassle of travelling, coupled with a new environment would have impacted her studies. So, when she heard that CAPE was coming to West Demerara Secondary she “jumped at the opportunity.”

Teachers of the West Demerara School expressed pleasure at being pioneers for CAPE in the region. They welcomed the opportunity not only for their student’s growth but theirs as well.

While stating that CAPE is a personal choice Renalda Johnson – a teacher – advised that after CSEC, the more extensive exam acts as a buffer and transition to studying at university. This isn’t only in the level of work, but also preparing students to work more independently.

Headmaster of West Demerara Secondary School, Mr Harrinarine said that West Demerara, through their consistent CSEC results, has climbed the ladder to now offer CAPE, an honour which he doesn’t take lightly. Mr Harrinarine said that he expects more from his teachers and students and hopes that more students from the region will take advantage of the programme.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/12/08/cape-now-offered-at-west-demerara-secondary-school/

With a growing population in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), Minister of Education Priya Manickchand says that more schools and other educational facilities are needed there.

Already, the construction of a nursery school has started at Parika, East Bank Essequibo. The Education Minister, however, noted that primary schools are needed at Tuschen and at La Parfaite Harmonie on the West Bank of Demerara.

“These are growing communities,” she said at a forum held at the West Demerara Secondary school on Wednesday.

And with an increasing number of residents, she reasoned that it is important for children to have greater access to educational institutions in their community. Additional schools are expected elsewhere.

The minister also said that works are ongoing to complete a dormitory facility at the Leonora Secondary school. This facility is expected to house some 65 children and Manickchand said the construction of this facility was done to prevent children from having to travel far distances to attend school.

“When you live halfway up the Demerara river, or halfway up the Essequibo river, secondary school is a dream outside of your reach (because) your parents can’t afford that boat ride every day (or) they can’t afford that bus ride every day from Parika.

“We will build that dorm and we will ensure that every child that wants to come to secondary school in region three can come to Region Three,” Manickchand stated.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/12/09/need-for-more-schools-facilities-in-reg-3-education-minister/