Min. Manickchand rebukes opposition for past failures in education sector

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand has flayed the opposition for its inactions and failures in the education sector during their term in office, and their refusal to support the practical measures in the 2025 budget to boost education access and quality nationwide.

She was at the time defending the government’s $1.38 trillion 2025 budget in the National Assembly, as day three of the budget debates got underway at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand during the budget debates on Tuesday

Minister Manickchand criticised the previous government’s budgetary allocations during their term, noting the decline in education and health indicators, despite the introduction of over 200 taxes and fees.

The minister noted that the budgets presented under the previous government were oppressive, striking fear and hopelessness in the hearts of Guyanese.

Highlighting some of the failed commitments of the opposition in their 2015 manifesto, the minister reminded, “They promised increased emoluments and improved working conditions for teachers, failed. They promised an improved quality of education, equal access to education, [to] distinguish between male and female learning strategies and devise learning strategies with a view of reducing the male dropout rate…all failed.”

The minister further pointed out that when the government took office in 2020, there were 16 learning sites for teachers enrolled in the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), none of which were operational.

“Right now, we have 123 learning sites, as a result of which we were able to graduate 4,378 teachers over the last four years,” she said.

She highlighted that the PPP/C government’s efforts include investing $39 billion in educational infrastructure over the last four years and constructing 28 new secondary schools.

Further, access to education is significantly enhanced, with programmes like the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) empowering thousands of Guyanese with free education at reputable universities. 

“We have declared that the University of Guyana is going to be tuition free for all. We have declared that there are going to be no facilities fees at the University of Guyana for any student. We have declared that those who have already paid for this academic year will get a refund for their second and third semesters. That is what the PPP/C has done to advance tertiary education,” the minister added.  

Improving Math performance

Turning her attention to the need to improve math performance, the minister recognised that this is a challenge faced by the Caribbean and the wider international community.

She reminded that, in 2016, the then government, recognising a 14 per cent pass rate in Math among Grade Six students, implemented a Commission of Inquiry into the issue.

According to Minister Manickchand, this report was never officially published or acted upon.

The minister contrasted this with the PPP/C government’s Mathematics Intervention Initiative, which targets 50 schools nationwide.

The programme aims to enhance the performance of teachers and students in Mathematics, through the introduction of Math Monitors.

“We have given every child a scientific calculator, geometry sets, graph books and a pass paper booklet organised by topics. We are sending in math monitors. We are going school to school, meeting with the parents. We are doing something to take us to the place of 100 per cent,” she said. 

The minister continued, “The best Mathematic pass rate that this country every got, save 2020, was in 2015 under my leadership in the Ministry at 45 per cent. The best English rate was in 2024 under my leadership in the Ministry at 70.84 per cent. We don’t hide from problems.”

The Education ministry’s expansive and robust work programme will receive a significant boost with its $175 billion allocation in the 2025 budget.

This allocation includes:

  • $36.2 billion for the construction and rehabilitation of educational facilities across Guyana.
  • -$2 billion to expand the Ministry of Education’s textbook programme

  • $13.4 billion to finance UG’s operations as a result of the abolition of tuition fees

  • $5.5 billion for the National School Feeding Programme.

  • $2.6 billion to expand access to Technical Vocational Education Training

The minister declared that in their refusal to support the 2025 budget, the opposition is essentially telling the Guyanese people that they do not support the abolition of fees at UG, the increase in the ‘Because we Care’ cash grant, the construction and rehabilitation of educational facilities or any of the other transformational measures it holds.

“When you say you cannot support this budget, you are taking away the transportation we’re providing for them, all the Special Education Needs classrooms and schools we are currently building. So go ahead and tell this nation, again, who you really are. They’re listening!” she challenged.

CATEGORIES
TAGS