The Ministry of Education on Friday announced that some schools would be reopened on a rotational basis, as part of efforts to stem learning loss.

The Education Minister Priya Manickchand said secondary schools would be reopened according to the vaccination plan.

The Assistant Chief Education Officer (Nursery), Samantha Williams said 41 of 348 Nursery schools would be open to face-to-face learning, while the 307 others would open on a rotational basis.

Ms. Williams said five students would be assigned to each teacher to allow for better management of each child including the possibility of children holding the face masks of the other. She said each child is expected to attend school twice weekly and they would be supplemented by learning packages for each child. Parents would be expected to use those packages to assist in teaching their children at home and reporting back to teachers at scheduled times.

The Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson said 44 primary schools would be reopened fully, and 413 others- including nine annexes-would be operating on a rotational basis.

According to the Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary) said several schools would be reopened fully and the 126 others would be opened on a rotational basis.  She said that decision was taken in collaboration with schools’ administration’s, Parent Teachers Association and the Regional Democratic Councils.

The Director of the National Centre for Educational Research Development Quenita Walrond said a user-friendly “consolidated curriculum” has been developed. She said Teachers are being trained to use the diagnostic assessment that would be interactive.

Education Minister  Manickchand lamented that Guyanese students have missed a year and a term which could have a long-lasting impact on children. “We will not see the manifestation of the impact now if we continue to keep our doors closed,” she told a news conference that she shared with top education experts of the Ministry of Health.

Source: https://demerarawaves.com/2021/08/27/ministry-of-education-announces-school-reopening-plans/

Ahead of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), which will be written on August 4th and 5th, 2021, Grade Six pupils will be able to benefit from extra video tutoring,  daily, through an ‘NGSA booster’ programme developed by the Ministry of Education.

This programme was launched on Friday at the National Centre of Educational Resources Development (NCERD) in Kingston, Georgetown.

According to the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, the videos cover all of the topics from the first 20 weeks of Grade Five that this year’s pupils will be tested on. It will also cover material from Grade Four, which pupils are likely to be assessed on. The pupils will not be tested on material covered in Grade Six since learning has been disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We don’t want students going into the room, our Guyanese babies, and feeling so heavily unprepared for this exam, that they feel like we are committing an assault on them or we are hurting them emotionally or psychologically because we are sending you into the exam unprepared,” Minister Manickchand said, adding: “We don’t want that and that is why this programme is being launched today.”

It was explained that the NGSA booster will feature pre-recorded videos of Guyanese teachers explaining topics in the four subject areas- Mathematics, English, Science and Social Studies.

“A particularly nice feature in this series, this NGSA booster is that teachers will take you through past exam questions and tell you the answers and how to arrive at those answers if you see similar questions on your exam paper,” the minister said also.

The NGSA Booster programme has been developed by the Guyana Learning Channel and is expected to be available in all regions, for pupils to view and help supplement their preparation for the NGSA. This year’s NGSA will be set by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

The ‘Booster’ will also be shown on E-Networks Dream TV and Atlantic Cable TV. All episodes will be available on YouTube.

The use of the Guyana Learning Channel, Minister Manickchand explained, is to ensure that the tutorials can be accessed by those pupils in riverain and hinterland communities, where there is limited internet connectivity.

In those communities where there is limited or no internet connectivity, as well as limited access to satellites to connect to the learning channel, the minister noted that arrangements are being put in place to have all of the content disseminated via flash drives for viewing on communal televisions.

She also highlighted, “We are in the process right now of purchasing televisions, solar systems and satellites for every single hinterland riverain community.”

This, she explained, is being done to ensure that each learner can connect to the Guyana Learning Channel and have access to the content that is shown every day to supplement online learning.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Guyana Learning Channel, Aneisha Mohammed highlighted that the videos will be shown on the Guyana Learning Channel on Mondays to Fridays from 10:30 hrs to 15:50 hrs, and then rebroadcast from 17:00 hrs to 19:00 hrs. There will also be a full rebroadcast on Saturdays and Sundays from 09:00 hrs to 17:00 hrs.

Every Sunday, a timetable of what topics will be covered during the scheduled programming will be made available on the Facebook pages of the Guyana Learning Channel and the Ministry of Education.

A similar ‘booster’ programme is being developed For the upcoming Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, to be written by students in Forms Four and Five at the secondary school level, according to the Education Minister.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/05/14/grade-six-pupils-to-benefit-from-extra-tutoring-ahead-of-ngsa/

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand on Wednesday urged teachers to be wary of those who do not have anything to offer them other than criticising initiatives, even as she announced a welfare package of discounts, insurance, health initiatives, continuing training and annual awards.

She said the Ministry of Education has provided each COVID-19 positive teacher with a healthy-care kit, arranged for teachers to go to specific locations to get second dose Sputnik V vaccines despite the shortage; laptops, tablets and other devices and free Internet access to assist teachers to work virtually. “We don’t talk about some of these things and we leave space for people, who have nothing else to offer, to take away from it,” the Minister told attendees.

Addressing the launch of the welfare initiative at the Arthur Chung Conference, she said it had nothing to do with the industrial action that has been staged by the Guyana Teachers Union as preparations had started from as far back as February, 2021. “This is not a response. This is a genuine interest in checking to see what we can do for you so that you can do your work when you get into the classroom and you’ll see much, much more of that,” she said.

The Minister of Education announced that a new Inspectorate system has been designed, but it would no longer have the stigma of an enforcement mechanism.

She pledged to the teachers that “we will support your professional development fully; you have my promise on that. We will hold your hand through any obstacles you believe you have on the classroom,” she said.  Ms. Manickchand said the Education Ministry would address the shortage of resources such as the purchase of all primary school textbooks, the first time in three years.

The Education Minister appeared to leave the door slightly open to engaging with the Guyana Teachers; Union (GTU), despite recent concerns that that bargaining agent was engaging in political action against the COVID-19 measures. “We will work with anyone, any stakeholder. By now, you must realise I don’t take things personally at all. We will work with any stakeholder who wants to see the sector do better but we will not let petulance, personal interest, political intervention stop us from what we have to do because our job is too important. Children’s lives, future, this nation depends on us,” she said.

Education Specialist, Olato Sam, who is spearheading the teachers welfare initiative, said more than 150 entities have already signed up to work along with the Education Ministry.  He said there would be a teacher benevolence fund to provide support teachers who experience certain hardships. “This teachers welfare and benefits programme was devised. The Ministry of Education has embraced the concept that the welfare of our teachers needs concerted attention and will, therefore, when addressed, pay dividends in relation to their output,” she said.

The GTU has not commented so far on this initiative but has already accused the  Ministry of Education of engaging in union busting by taking away responsibility for the scholarship and duty-free concessions. The Ministry of Education has been accused by the GTU of peddling “blatant lies” that the scholarship and concessions have been weaponised against those who have refused to engage in industrial action.

Source: https://demerarawaves.com/2021/09/15/those-with-nothing-to-offer-filling-public-space-manickchand-tells-teachers-at-launch-of-welfare-programme/

Cognisant of the pressure placed on young children when sitting the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, has noted that the ministry is exploring whether this assessment should be stopped and instead, direct focus can be placed on ensuring an equal delivery of education.

The NGSA is Guyana’s secondary school placement examination. It tests four subject areas: Mathematics, English Language, Science and Social Studies and is written by children aged 10 years old, on average.

At an event on Friday, the Education Minister explained: “NGSA is something we have to sit, we have to write, not because we want to test children and find out who is bright and who is not… It’s a placement exam. We have to find out where to put children.”

However, she lamented: “It has turned into something I don’t like anymore… never really liked it, and we are currently examining how we can make sure it doesn’t matter which high school you get.”

According to the Education Minister, to ensure that there is an equitable delivery of education across the country – no matter what secondary school a student attends – there must be equality of services, trained teachers and facilities.

“Queen’s College is 180 years old and we can’t make another high school 180 years old, so there is a tradition but then there is service, quality, resources, facility and if we equalise what we give as resources then it wouldn’t matter anymore what high school you got, and that’s what we are working on.”

For context, Queen’s College is Guyana’s premier secondary education institution and a quota of the students who get the higher marks at the NGSA are awarded a place here.

Subsequently, when asked by the News Room if the ministry was, therefore, considering abolishing the NGSA, Manickchand answered: “We are looking at ways that we can be friendly to children even as we keep the formal education system going.”

She added, “Testing children on one single day and having their future decided on that day when they are 10 years old is hard and it might not be the most child-friendly thing that we can do.”

She did not wish to make any pronouncements on what the NGSA would be replaced with if it is indeed stopped, but the Education Minister noted that this decision would only be made after wide consultations.

She, however, emphasised that the ministry is “robustly” examining how the services, resources and facilities provided in all schools can be equal to ensure that there is a high standard of education at any school.

“That’s the whole selling point here – that the schools have to provide an equal type of education and then see if the best way to do this is to test on a paper or if we want to perhaps look at a buildup of testing,” Minister Manickchand said too.

While speaking at the event on Friday, the minister also alluded to the possible halting of the Grades Two and Four assessments, as well.

“It might be very [precipitous] but we are considering whether some of those exams need to even be continued. The Grades Two and Four (assessments) started out because we wanted to ensure children were literate,” she said, but continued: “Have we seen an increase in the level of literacy because of those two exams, or did they just become two exams?”

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/05/14/education-min-explores-eliminating-ngsa-making-all-secondary-schools-equal/

A new secondary school will be constructed at Prospect, East Bank Demerara, to cater for some 1,000 students. The sod turning ceremony was held on Friday where Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand said the school will provide a comfortable learning environment and a high quality education.

The construction of the school is made possible through an extended loan from the World Bank.

“We want across Guyana from the Pakairamas Mountain to the Corentyne to Moruca, wherever you live, that you should be able to access secondary education. Every time we look at giving citizens more access, we simultaneously look at giving more access that is of a very high quality,” Manickchand said.

Minister Manickchand revealed that on the East Bank of Demerara there are eight primary schools which facilitate learning for secondary school students.

As such, she said the government aims to change this by building secondary schools.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary, Alfred King, said the school will include a performing arts studio; a computer and science labs, along with a library.

“Here we are expecting not only to provide the educational space, [but] a modern facility that will allow for a balanced growth and development of students in the education system at the secondary level,” King stated.

Meanwhile, bidding is not yet available for the project but contractors and consultants were warned of termination of contracts if the school is not completed within the stipulated time frame.

The government recently terminated contracts with BK International and Courtney Benn Contracting – for being delinquent on the execution of projects, including the construction of schools.

“We don’t yet know who is going to be the contractor…what I hope and pray…is that the people who put forward themselves as having the capacity and the desire to build this school are going to be patriots who understand what we want to do and will try their very best to finish on time.

“Because if they don’t, we will terminate long before we reach a place of five years and find out you are not going to finish the school,” Minister Manickchand firmly stated.

While the construction cost is not yet known, the Prospect Secondary School will be similar to schools being constructed at Yarrowkabra on the Soesdyke Linden Highway, Good Hope on the East Coast of Demerara and Parfaite Harmonie, on the West Bank of Demerara.

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/02/05/new-state-of-the-art-secondary-school-for-prospect/

The Ministry of Education (MoE) has announced that secondary schools will re-open for face-to-face learning this month with grades 10, 11 and 12, but unvaccinated students will not be denied entry.

In a statement issued on Thursday, the ministry said that grades 10, 11 and 12 will return to face-to-face learning in October but children who are not vaccinated will not be prevented from entering their school for instruction.

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand told this newspaper that the schools want to be fair to the students who are concerned about their safety, hence, the students will be given the time to be fully vaccinated before the schools reopen. This is based on advice received from the Ministry of Health to give time to the unvaccinated students to be fully inoculated before entering the school environment. 

However, the schools will also be given extra time if more students come forward to get their vaccines. Manickchand said that she will personally reach out to students and try to persuade them to take the vaccine because of its importance to their safe return. She added that the MoE has already created a list of schools which will be reopened first according to the inoculation programme carried out.

The MoE said that based on the rollout of the vaccination programme for adolescents aged 12 to 17, grades 10, 11 and 12 students will return to face-to-face learning this month.  Each school will be given a separate opening date based on the inoculation of students at the school. For an adolescent to be deemed fully vaccinated with the Pfizer vaccine they must receive two doses, 21 to 28 days apart with an additional 10 days after the second dose to be fully protected.

The Ministry noted the following example of how students were inoculated: Queen’s College, St. Rose’s High School and Bishops’ High School received their first dose on September 1, 2021. Those students were administered their second dose on September 22, 2021. Therefore, these schools will be reopened on a date not earlier than 10 days following September 22, 2021.  St Stanislaus College students received their second doses before those at Queen’s College and other schools and so they are therefore expected to return sooner.

The Health Ministry has also advised against having every class return, hence, grades 7 to 9 will not be reopened physically at this time. “As it relates to the other levels, the plans that were previously announced stand without variation,” the ministry said. 

All COVID-19 protocols such as wearing masks, washing or sanitising hands and being socially distanced will be observed, it added. 

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2021/10/03/news/guyana/secondary-schools-to-reopen-for-grades-10-11-and-12/

The government’s scholarship programme, Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) was on Saturday introduced in Region Three.

The outreach was led by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand and Minister within the Ministry of Public Works, Deodat Indar, at the Leonora Synthetic Track and Field Facility. Scores of young people dominated the audience at the brief ceremony where Manickchand told the gathering that education brings a sense of independence and dignity, especially to young men and women. “Anything that allows you to be able to earn for yourselves, to be able to look after yourself and your children… grab it,” she urged. While adding, “There is no better feeling of dignity and pride than to be able to look after yourself and your family. Any opportunity you get to further your study that will help you to earn better, grab it, like this one.”

The minister said that the idea to offer 20,000 online scholarships to Guyanese was birthed as a manifesto promise by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic during the 2020 election campaign. She explained that the government went from village to village, community to community and asked what could be done to advance the country.

“It was a promise that we will deliver learning opportunities to Guyanese all across Guyana at no cost to the students,” Manickchand said before adding that the target is not PPP/C supporters but Guyanese in every region who will be benefitting from the scholarships. “We are not here to serve PPP supporters alone or to serve the parents of students who are here who voted for us. We are here to serve every single Guyanese regardless of how you voted, regardless of where you live, regardless of how you pray, regardless of your gender, regardless of your colour. We are here to serve every Guyanese,” the Education Minister affirmed.

According to Manickchand, through GOAL – led by Dr Jacob Opadeyi, Guyana will be collaborating with universities from Asia, Europe, North America, South America, and the Caribbean to offer over 80 programmes.

Another convenience the scholarship offers is that it’s completely paid for by the Government. “You don’t have to pay for it. You don’t have to pay the application fee. You don’t have to pay the tuition fee. You don’t have to pay the fees for the certificate. You don’t have to pay for this programme. As a Government we are paying for it and we believe that is us buying for you a brighter future. That is our investment in you,” Manickchand declared.  The minister also informed that persons who will be awarded scholarships under this specific programme will not be bound to the Government of Guyana upon completion. Noting that under the Jagdeo administration, persons who were awarded scholarships were expected to return and work for the government, Manickchand stated, “This programme does not bind you to the Government of Guyana,” instead, awardees will be asked to give voluntary service to the country by working either with the government, through organisations associated with the government, the private sector, non-governmental organisations, and other organisations which be made known when the time comes, she said. 

According to Manickchand, the government hopes this will bring forward a new spirit of volunteerism. “We hope that when we do that a new spirit of volunteerism is born in Guyana. So that whenever there is a need in these organisations, you, the 20,000 of you who will benefit from this, will rise up to that need and will be an example to other citizens about how they can use their time voluntarily to contribute to the needs of our country and her people.”

Indar spoke of his humble beginnings and that he wished such an opportunity was available to him when he was growing up. He encouraged residents to take the next step at developing themselves so that they could improve their standard of living and enjoy a better life.

Member of Parliament, Dr Tandika Smith gave testimony to the opportunities scholarships can provide and encouraged persons to apply. “I am a beneficiary of the Jagdeo scholarship way back in the early 2000. I am a natural out [of] Pomeroon Region Two, it is a riverain area,” she stated, explaining that through scholarships she was able to study medicine in Cuba as part of the 5,000 persons who also received scholarships when Vice-President Bharrat Jagdeo was the president. Smith said that there are challenges faced with scholarships but the outcome makes it worth it. “It is a life-changing opportunity. It says that this government is working for you and in the best interest of your families.”

During Saturday’s outreach, several persons submitted their applications and Manickchand urged that Guyanese apply by visiting the GOAL website at www.goal.edu.gy to be among the 4,500 yearly scholarship awardees over the next five years.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2021/05/03/news/guyana/manickchand-urges-region-three-residents-to-tap-scholarship-programme/

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand on Wednesday declared the second smart classroom in Guyana open at Queen’s College in Georgetown.

The classroom, which is the second of its kind in the public education sector, will not only benefit Queen’s College but will be used to reach students in other secondary schools across Guyana who can benefit from lessons which they may not be able to receive in their respective schools.

Manickchand said the intention is to eventually have a smart classroom rolled out in every high school across the country and so the Ministry of Education is on track to deliver 20 more such classrooms within the coming weeks.

She said that the COVID-19 pandemic has shown how important technology is to the education sector.

“COVID has underscored how much we need advances and additions to our traditional chalk and talk and it would have come in very useful if we had these features in the classroom, but we cannot wring our hands for what we don’t have, but we must recognise it as a failure and move on aggressively to rolling out these classrooms across the country.”

Minister Manickchand encouraged that persons should see COVID as an opportunity to do better for the country by improving systems and implementing initiatives to improve the education sector.

She told members of the staff and administration of the school that they now have a duty to share knowledge and information using the smart classroom to as many students and teachers as possible.

During Wednesday’s launch, Ms. Dianne Henry taught an English ‘B’ lesson while engaging students physically in the smart classroom and those that were at home. (Modified press release from Ministry of Education)

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/02/10/smart-classroom-opens-at-qc-20-more-expected-across-guyana/

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand visited the construction site for the new building which will house the St. Rose’s High School  on Tuesday to assess how the work is progressing and to address issues affecting the school.

Minister Manickchand was accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education Alfred King, Special Projects Officer Ron Eastman and Technical Officer to the Permanent Secretary Cosmo Browne. 

The team from the Ministry of Education met with representatives of the company that was awarded the contract to construct the school, Shandong Degian International and representatives from the consultancy firm on the project Kalitech Inc. Engineering Design and Supervisory Consultants.

Among the updates provided by the contractor is that the construction of the school is currently 10% complete at a time when it should have been 8% complete according to an established schedule. This was confirmed by Mr. Eastman.

Minister Manickchand said that the Ministry will be monitoring the project closely to ensure it is completed according to the contractual timeline so that students can benefit from the new building

Students are presently being taught in classrooms located in a section of the old building which was not demolished due to its structural soundness.

However, due to the nearby construction, there has been a complaint regarding noise emanating from the construction site. This was addressed today between the contracting firm and the Ministry whereby Minister Manickchand asked that a system be put in place to reduce the inconvenience that will come from the work being done.

Another complaint was the backup of sewage in the compound of the school. This is currently being addressed by the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI). Following her visit to the construction site, Minister Manickchand and team met with GWI staff working at the Camp and Quamina Street Sewage Station. 

According to Sewer Maintenance Officer Akedo Softley the sewage blockage is created when residents allow prohibited items to enter the sewer line. 

He said this causes the system to be clogged resulting in a backup in the community like what is being experienced at St. Rose’s. He said once the blockage is cleared, the situation at the school will automatically be fixed.

He explained that to prevent this from happening in the future, residents need to stop allowing prohibited items such as paper towels, sanitary napkins, dental floss, condoms, newspapers and any other time that is not toilet paper or human waste from getting into the sewer system.

Minister Manickchand thanked Softley and his team for the work they are doing and the important service they are giving to the country. Within a few days, the sewage issue is expected to be fully addressed. 

Source: https://newsroom.gy/2021/12/07/construction-of-st-roses-high-back-on-schedule/

More than 2,000 parents and guardians of students scheduled to write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) were yesterday engaged by the Minister of Education Priya Manickchand to express their views and concerns regarding the sitting of this examination.

The consultation was done in two virtual meetings. The first started at 10am with parents and guardians from regions One, Two, Three, Four, and Five, while the second meeting commenced at 1pm and was joined by parents and guardians from regions Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, and Ten. 

According to a Ministry of Education (MoE) release, Manickchand briefed the parents on some of the options being weighed and suggested by teachers and primary head teachers. These options include having students write the full examination on content right up to Grade Six or full examination but on content up to Grade Five. The meeting has also discussed having students write the exam but with reduced questions or use projects instead of the exam. Parents were encouraged to pitch their ideas and many of them agreed that writing on content up to Grade Five would be a better choice.

Susan Jervis, a parent out of Region Six, said she believes it is fair for an assessment up to Grade Five content because face to face teaching concluded during that period. She did not agree with using projects because she feels it does truly reflect the children’s work. Wemis LaRose-Duke said that having students placed at catchment schools, one of the options, is not fair because some children will be placed below their grade average. Osaze Williams, also from Region Six, asked for the grades from the Grade Two and Four assessments to be included and suggested that it could be 20 per cent of the final grade. He too, did not agree with the idea of using projects. Colleen Luther, of Region Ten, agreed with Williams. However, Nickesha Ross-Long did not agree with this and said that some students have improved since writing those assessments and should not be limited to that. Babita Ram asked for schools to be opened a month prior for children to focus on main subjects.

Manickchand said that any announcement will be subject to the advice of the Ministry of Health (MoH), World Health Organization, and other health authorities. She assured that the ministry is not going to sit back and give up. She said it is not an option and that it is the ministry’s responsibility to make a decision in the best interest of the children of the country. Parents were assured by the minister that the ministry is working in their best interests. She acknowledged that while there are challenges, and many different things have been done to engage with students, the Ministry is aware that none of the options can replace the classroom.

Additionally, Manickchand assured that when a decision is made the nation will be informed in a manner that places everyone on a level playing field. The Chief Education Officer, Dr Marcel Hutson, said that although no concrete decision has been made, the Ministry will be moving forward with three main watch words – safety, equity, and quality. He added that the MoE will be working closely with the MoH and that the exam will not be set in such a way that disadvantages students. Dr Hutson also noted that while there are options to change the structure of the assessment, any decision made will not make the result substandard. Meanwhile, the Assistant CEO, Ameer Ali, informed that there will be an evaluation of where the children are in terms of content covered.

The MoE will be meeting with the Guyana Teachers’ Union next week to discuss the format the NGSA will take.

Source: https://www.stabroeknews.com/2021/01/09/news/guyana/manickchand-holds-virtual-talks-with-parents-on-ngsa/