Riverine schools and Learning Resource Centres receive 109 more Early Childhood Education Resource Tool-kits

(Georgetown, April 3, 2017) – Through the efforts of the Guyana Early Childhood Education Project (GECEP), hinterland (Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9) and riverine schools from the coastal regions (Regions 2, 3,4, 5,6, and 10) have received tool-kits used for the enhancement of nursery education in Guyana.

“100 of the prepared 109 tool-kits were dispatched to the nursery and primary Grade 1 teachers, drawn from remote riverine locations and from the coastal education districts, which  participated in the In-service teacher education component of the project; with the 9 remaining going to functioning community based Learning Resource Centres in the Hinterland” stated Quenita Walrond, Nursery Technical Coordinator.

Appreciation was extended to the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) for the use of their facility and support from the staff and students in the preparation of the kits.

Ms. Walrond explained that the resource kits promote more experiential and inquiry-based learning activities for children, thereby enabling them to learn independently and in small groups through play. Meanwhile, “the manual would guide teachers in utilizing items in the tool kit; as well as developing teaching and learning materials from locally available materials that are culturally specific to the learning environment,” she added.

In 2016, some 436 tool-kits were dispatched to all nursery and primary Grade 1 spaces in the Hinterland regions since all the educators at

this level participated in the in-service teacher education training.

The objective of the Guyana Early Childhood Education Project is to improve emergent literacy and numeracy outcomes for children at the

nursery level and primary grade one in Hinterland Regions and Targeted Remote Riverine Areas.

This would be achieved by strengthening the capacity and effectiveness of nursery and Grade 1 teachers, providing additional teaching and learning materials to nursery and Grade 1 classes, and reinforcing primary caregiver engagement in children’s early learning.  This PDO is closely aligned with the objectives detailed in the MOE’s Nursery Education Action Plan, prepared as part of its Education Strategic Plan for 2014-2018.

The Guyana Early Childhood Education Project, serving the overarching theme of “Education for All”, became effective through ratification on May 28^th, 2015. The achievements of the project so far, are great indicators of the positive impact the project hopes to have in the advancement of education delivered to children in the hinterland regions.

The Government of Guyana and the Global Partnership for Education, in collaboration with the World Bank, are committed to supporting Early Childhood Education and Development in Guyana using the Education Sector as its primary vehicle. This is demonstrated by the financing and endorsing of the need for improved emergent literacy and numeracy outcomes for children hailing from the Hinterland regions and remote riverine areas at the nursery and lower primary levels.