Matakai education sector bolstering amidst challenges – DEO

DPI, GUYANA, Monday, October 30, 2017

The Education Sector in the Matakai Sub-district, Region One has seen significant improvement in the last year; this is according to District Education Officer, (DEO), Ignatius Adams.

In an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI) Adams highlighted that the region recently benefitted from two new buses for transporting children from far flung communities to, and from school in Baramita and Port Kaituma, and for other educational purposes. He added, the bus already located at Matthews Ridge is meeting these demands for that community.

Adams related the other riverine schools such as Canal Bank Annex Nursery and Primary schools, were provided with a boat and engine. He also reported that these students are also now benefitting from the hot meal programme and efforts are underway to have it implemented in other schools.

According to the DEO, Matakai is the smallest sub-district as it relates to enrollment with 14 schools including one district secondary school; the Port Kaituma Secondary School and the largest Primary school; Port Kaituma Primary.

Baramita and Matthews Ridge are the two rapidly growing communities in the district. For the first time 20 candidates from Matthews Ridge are registering to write Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) right in Matthews Ridge.

Further, teachers now have the opportunity to write CSEC as private candidates, plus they can also participate in the Associate Degree (AD) programme at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) then proceed to the University of Guyana (UG).

Thus far, four teachers were successful in the AD programme, one is at UG, and another was transferred into another region while other two are working in the region. “There’s avenue for upward mobility”, Adams explained.

These improvements along with the mathematics intervention programme is a major boost for the education department, however, there are still some challenges facing the region. These include lack of adequate and quality infrastructure, lack of potable water and inadequate furniture among others.

“Our vision is to go upward academically. The government has been supporting us especially with the roads and the CORE group. The NDC is also helping us and as we continue this way and get the necessary assistance, we will see Matakai advance”, Adams posited.

The DEO is urging residents to look out for each other and ensure children with their communities attend school regularly.

 

By: Ranetta La Fleur