Region one STEAMS fair begins Education month observance
September 15, 2018 – The Education Department of Region one (Barima-Waini) hosted a mini STEAMS Fair and Exhibition today on the lawns of the Education Department in Mabaruma to officially begin activities in observance of Education Month 2018, celebrated under the theme “Education for a Good Life- Through Innovation and STEAMS”.
In delivering remarks at the event, Assistant Chief Education Officer –Primary (ACEO-P) Owen Pollard reminded the gathering of students, teachers and parents that without an effective education system a country cannot progress.
Pollard said that it is towards this end that the Ministry of Education (MoE) will leave no stone unturned to educate the nation’s children in keeping with modern methodologies and concepts. With a focus on the theme, Pollard said that it is imperative that an education system in the 21st century produces children who are able to function in the wider world.
He said, “As a country we need scientist and other technically savvy citizens to guarantee Guyana taking its rightful place in the world”.
The ACEO asserted that there is a need to create an environment that will ensure pursuits such as disciplines that fall within the STEAMS category, prosper and activities such as Region one’s will certainly aid in this regard.
Brentnol Ashley, Regional Chairman (RC) for Region One said that making education a priority irrespective of any prevailing circumstances is a mantra his region reverences highly. He said, “Children will have the opportunity to unravel the skills they have within,” Ashley quipped.
Further, he noted that it is important to ensure that every child has an opportunity to maximise their potential and leaders should assist in ensuring such opportunities are provided.
The Regional Chairman told the gathering that his region will be expending more monies for the continued development of the education in Barima Waini. “Education is everyone’s business, unless we take ownership of education and place emphasis on its importance much will not be achieved, for a society to be transformed education has to take its rightful place”.
Meanwhile, District Education Officer Region One, Marti DeSouza was in celebratory mood because his region in keeping with the theme this year, established their first smart classroom. According to DeSouza, this technology will substitute for a teacher who might be absent since children from another school can be taught by another teacher from a separate school.
The use of the smart classroom was demonstrated at the exhibition whereby students were given a mathematics lesson on subtraction with regrouping.
The schools participating were Mabaruma, Hosororo, Wauna, Aruka and Barbina Primary schools and North West Secondary.
Following the opening of the Fair, the Welfare Department presented schools supplies inclusive of bags, footwear and exercise books to a number of students.