Education Ministry committed to Grade 6 student performance
─ plans to reform teaching curriculum
DPI, Guyana, Friday, March 1, 2019
The Ministry of Education, in its efforts to further improve student performance and achieve greater parental support, today engaged Grade Six students and their parents in Region 6, East Berbice Corentyne.
Approximately 15,000 learners from all eleven education districts are slated to sit the upcoming National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) on April 17 and 19, 2019, the engagement was meant to ascertain how the ministry can better help parents aid in improved student performance and success.
The meetings were held at Tagore Memorial Secondary School and the Berbice High School.
“The ultimate objective is to hear from the parents about their challenges and to offer support while promoting the ideals of the importance of parental involvement in the process and fostering more parent-teacher-student relationships for better performance outcomes,” Head of the MoE Primary Division and Assistant Chief Education Officer, Carol Benn explained.
The meetings served as part of a larger initiative of educational interventions by the ministry’s Primary Department in collaboration with the Schools’ Support Unit headed by the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Coordinator Nadia Hollingsworth and Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Carol Benn.
Over the last few weeks, teams visited the Matarkai sub-district where they engaged parents and teachers and at the north branch of the education district of Georgetown.
Students sitting the NGSA are tested in four core subjects; Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Science.
We want the best for our children,” Hollingsworth emphasised.
As the interventions continue, the next round of meetings is carded for Region 4, Demerara-Mahaica at the Beterverwagting Quamina Primary School on the East Coast of Demerara and Supply Primary on the East Bank of Demerara.
“We want our parents to be au fait with the ministry’s programmes and what activities and strategies teachers are employing so they can lend support at home,” Benn said. “The ministry understands that when parents are involved you get better outcomes,” she added.
Additionally, the ministry has commenced the first round of mock examinations, held January 16 and 17, with the intention to expose students to examination conditions, to determine areas for improved performance and to provide practice for learners preparing to sit the exams.
All Primary Schools countrywide will sit the final mock examinations on March 28 and 29.
Nateshia Isaacs
Images: Marceano Narine