Secondary school students along the Essequibo Coast and the Pomeroon will no longer have to leave their homes to travel to Georgetown to write their Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).
The Anna Regina Secondary School has become the first in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) to offer CAPE subjects to students who have completed the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC).
Minister of Education Priya Manickchand travelled to the region on Friday to officially launch the progamme at the school
She said the move is in keeping with the government’s vision of ensuring every child across the length and breadth of Guyana, has access to education.
“We are moving closer and closer to universal secondary education.
“That means that children all across the country could access a secondary school, but even as we work for access to secondary education, we know we have the ability to simultaneously expand what we are doing at the secondary schools, and so today, it gives me great pleasure to commission a CAPE or sixth form school, a Grade 12 school at the Anna Regina Multilateral, which is the first of its kind in Region Two.”
Currently, there are five students enrolled in the classes. The subjects being offered are Integrated Mathematics, Communication Studies, Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Teachers who will be conducting the classes have been adequately trained.
“I want to say very clearly, that the teachers are trained…These are teachers who are capable of teaching these particular subjects, science subjects in this case. We have labs, we have material, we have chemicals, we have reagents, we have classrooms, we have the facilities that allow these children to have a quality experience here.”
Speaking to DPI, the students were elated to be able to continue their studies without having to leave their homes.
Tiffany Budhram said before it was announced that CAPE subjects will be offered in the region, she had not considered writing the exams. However, she said she was excited to further her studies.
Her father, Rabinauth Budhram said he was happy with the decision to have the subjects offered within the region as he was not comfortable sending his teenage daughter all the way to Georgetown to complete her studies.
“I feel very much secure having her and having CAPE being done right here in Region Two…I think it was long overdue at the Anna Regina Secondary, and of course, I am quite elated for it to happen, as it has, this year.”
The teachers at Anna Regina Secondary have assured that they will put their efforts towards ensuring the students receive quality education.
Next week, Minister Manickchand will be launching the programme at the West Demerara Secondary School making it the first in Region Three. (DPI)