“Education revolution alive and well” – Minister Henry

DPI, GUYANA, Wednesday, December 5, 2018

Minister of Education Dr. Nicolette Henry today said that the education revolution started by the coalition government is “alive and well”.

This morning, Minister Henry was the second speaker to the address the National Assembly on day three of the 2019 budget debate. She said there is no doubt that the Coalition government has been assiduously moving to ensure the sector, which has been allocated the largest budget for the new fiscal year, serves all of Guyana’s children

“In less than four years, we have rolled out real programmes such as the five B’s initiative, we have expanded school feeding, we have improved school services to include psychosocial support and introduce technology and introduce technology-enabled learning in a real way.”

According to Minister, the sector was in a crisis when it was taken over by the administration.

“The performance of the nation’s children at the national and regional examinations served as a clear indicator… in three short years, we have seen incremental improvements in and this year we were able to record 60 percent passes in English and similar passes in other subject areas.”

Minister Henry said the ministry has been able to clamp down on school dropouts and absenteeism especially at the secondary level. Data in 2014 showed that 67 percent of students were attending school. In 2018, that number has increased to 70 percent.

The dropout rate she said has been on the decline. In 2014 at the primary level, 813 male students had dropped out of school. Two years later in 2016, this was reduced to 368 male students who had dropped out. Also, in 2014, there were 726 female students at the primary level who had dropped out of school.  This was reduced in 2016 to 279.  The story is similar at the secondary level, the minister said.

The minister also addressed what she said were some inaccuracies proffered by opposition members during the course of the debate.

She spoke of the attack by the opposition on the distribution of textbooks, the strike action by teachers, and cash vouchers. Minister Henry also addressed the ministry’s undertaking of the curriculum reform.

Alexis Rodney.

Images: Keno George.