The Distribution Unit comprises of two activities head namely, the Book Distribution Unit and the Special Projects Unit. The unit operates in collaboration with other key departments of the Ministry of Education with the aim of making education a fun and easy learning process by providing and making accessible learning/teaching materials & resources, and snacks.
Below is an overview of the operations of each Unit.
Book Distribution Unit
Background
The Book Distribution Unit is charged with the primary functions of acquiring, storing, recording, allocating, and distributing text and exercise books and other school supplies to all public schools and training institutions in all ten administrative regions of Guyana.
Distribution of exercise books is done on a termly basis to all students in the Public Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools.
Text books are allocated based on needs and on other policy related regulations. However, the Animal Friends series are allocated on a termly basis to all Nursery schools and IRI books are distributed to Primary schools on a termly basis.
Books are distributed to individual schools in Georgetown while Education Departments in all Administrative Regions are required to uplift their supply of books from the Distribution Unit and distribute to schools in their respective regions.
Allocation of books is done based on the following:
- Actual enrolment in each class.
- School’s need.
- Quantity of books received.
Special Projects Unit
Background
The Ministry of Education is currently executing three different type of school feeding programmes.
- The Hinterland Community based Hot Meal Programme that caters for students in Region 1, 7&8.
- The Cassava Bread and Peanut Snack Programme that caters for students in Region 9.
- The Biscuit and Juice Feeding Programme that caters for students in Regions 2,3,4,5,6,10 and Georgetown and partially in Regions No. 1, 7 &8.
The biscuits and Juice feeding programme was launched in January 2010 by the Government of Guyana/ Ministry of Education. This programme operates directly under the Distribution Unit and targets the entire nursery school population and grades 1 and 2 in the primary schools in Regions 2,3,4,5,6,10, Georgetown and a few schools in Regions No.1, 7 and 8 that are not benefiting from the Hot Meal Programme.
The primary objectives of this Feeding Programme are:
- To improve the nutritional status of children
- To increase enrolments
- To raise the attendance level
- To enhance academic performance
The snack that is provided under this initiative consists of fortified biscuits and fruit juice which are supplied by Banks DIH and Demerara Distilleries Limited (DDL) respectively. In, this programme, each child is given seven biscuits and one box of juice on each school day. The distribution process is done through collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development.
Juice and Biscuits are distributed by the Distribution Unit to individual schools in Georgetown while regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 are required to uplift their school feeding supply from Banks DIH and DDL depots in their respective areas or depots closest to their areas.
