Disparities in education sector to be addressed in 2021-2025 strategic plan

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, MP, said the disparities in the sector have been identified, and will be addressed in the Ministry’s 2021-2025 strategic plan.

The plan, which was developed following a series of reviews and consultations, is aimed at transforming the education sector.

Minister Manickchand said while a strategic education plan was in place up to 2014, none was made public by the former government.

The strategic plan was officially launched on Wednesday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, at the opening of Education Month 2021. Minister Manickchand said the document will ensure the improvement in governance and accountability, performance at all levels and efficiency of the education system.

“So, this is a sector plan being published here for all the world to see and in collaboration with all over the world, to make sure that we are all on the same page, to change those numbers, and give us outcomes that will see each child, each family, each community doing better in education. And so, this morning, particularly, this is an important day for us, because we begin again to turn around how we are dealing with education.”

She said much of the plan does not account for the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, however, stakeholders must be adaptable.

“As such, we must develop a posture of responsiveness to accommodate unforeseen circumstances, and the peculiarities that will inevitably accompany same. Concurrently our approaches must adapt to the unique demands of our complex multi layered educational contexts. This is a significant shift from traditional import approaches to education, that too often demanded conformity to standard practices across the entire education spectrum.”

Meanwhile, Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson emphasised that education is fundamental to a nation’s development.

“The human mind is our fundamental resource. The intent on protecting and cultivating this resource is the Guyana education sector, which was carefully crafted by specialists, and even persons at the level of classrooms, and so the critical nature of the strategic plans surrounding several things.”

He said the plan articulates a vision, mission and values which will enable stakeholders to work toward a common vision to move the education process forward.

Education Month 2021 is being observed under the theme, “Education for all: innovative teaching and learning during a global pandemic.”