Education Minister and Senior officers visit schools across the country – Assures all is being done to resolve issues.
The Minister of Education, Hon. Nicolette Henry along with senior officers within the Ministry, including the Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson visited a number of schools across Guyana in an effort to ensure that education delivery continues.
The officers were scattered across the 11 education districts while Minister Henry visited schools within the Region Six, East Berbice Corentyne area. The schools visited by the Education Minister were Edinburgh Primary School, Overwinning Primary School, Tutorial Secondary School, New Amsterdam Multilateral School, Savannah Park Nursery School, Berbice Educational Institute, Vryman’s Erven Secondary School, Berbice High School, Canje Secondary School, J.C Chandisingh Secondary School, Port Mourant Secondary School, Corentyne Comprehensive High School, Manchester Secondary School and Skeldon Line Path Secondary.
During her interface with both teachers and students, Minister Henry thanked the teachers for reporting for duty at their respective schools to serve the nation’s children. She wished the students all the best for their new school year.
Recognising that it is a challenging time for the public education sector, Minister Henry assured parents, students and teachers that they will get the support that is needed so that all issues can be resolved. “We want to ensure that we do all that is possible in the best interest for both students and teachers. We will do everything that we possibly can to ensure that there is continuity in the education system.”
However, despite the challenges, Minister Henry posited that out of challenges comes opportunities. She encouraged the students to make the 2018-2019 school year a rewarding one.
Some teachers have expressed their solidarity to Minister Henry, stating that they decided against striking since they believe that staying in the classroom is best for the children. Added to that parents in Regions five and six said while they understand that teachers are deserving of better salaries, the Guyana Teachers Union proposal is ‘unreasonable’.
Meanwhile, the Chief Education Officer, Marcel Hutson visited the Christianburg-Wismar Secondary School, McKenzie High School, Linden Foundation Secondary and One Mile Primary School in Region 10.
The Assistant Chief Education Officer (Technical) Patrick Chinedu visited Hope Secondary School, Golden Grove Primary School and Golden Grove Secondary School. In Region Five, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Owen Pollard visited the Bush Lot Secondary School, Rosignol Secondary and Bygeval Secondary School.
June-Ann Gonsalves, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary) visited the Soesdyke Secondary School and Diamond Secondary School in Region Four. Schools in Georgetown were visited by Assistant Chief Education Officer (Nursery), Samantha Williams, Superintendent of Examinations, Sauda Kadir, Director of NCERD, Jennifer Cumberbatch, Permanent Secretary, Adele Clarke and Technical Facilitator, Francesca Vieira.
The schools visited in Georgetown were Smith Memorial Primary School, Smyth Street Nursery School, Christ Church Secondary, St. Margaret’s Primary School, Winfer Gardens Primary School, Rama Krishna Primary, Queen’s College, St. Stanislaus College and Tutorial High Secondary.
