...to bridge gaps between Nursery to Tertiary levels
The Ministry of Education is looking to introduce new methods that will link a student’s learning experience step by step from nursery to tertiary levels.
Speaking at the launch of the Guyana Education Sector Improvement Project, (GESIP), recently, Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry said that the objectives of the project are to support the Government in improving the curricula and teaching quality at the nursery, primary, and lower secondary levels and \learning environment in the Faculty of Health Science at the University Of Guyana, (UG).
Minister Henry said that education at the lowest levels should be preparing students or giving them the foundation needed to excel at the level of the University.
“This project will review the current situation with the aim of closing the gaps. It marks the beginning of a new era, which will fortify the education sector in Guyana.”
The project is funded through the World Bank. The project also encapsulates the work of the National Centre for Education Resource Development, (NCERD), Cyril Potter College of Education and the University of Guyana, (U.G)
Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson noted that every efficient education system must be subject to periodic review, evaluation and assessment.
He said that this is necessary for stakeholders to identify weaknesses in the system and to find adequate redress.
“In Guyana, the education sector intends to produce citizens that add value to this country and to an extent the wider world… This is exactly what this project aims to do.”
“We recognize, for instance, that there is a struggle with Maths and English. Therefore we are looking at a hands on approach in teaching these two subjects. We will be reviewing the curriculum, holding sessions of intense periods of training, looking at content and methodology in the teaching.”
The CEO noted that the Ministry will work to provide teachers with the necessary resources and technologies.
The project is geared towards reengineering education in Guyana.
Meanwhile, Dean of the Faculty of Health at UG, Dr. Emmanuel Cummings, said that the GESIP will also assist with the materialisation of new research centres and labs for students of the faculty.
The direct project beneficiaries would be about 146,000 Nursery, Primary and lower secondary school students in Guyana, 760 students in University of Guyana (UG) Health Sciences Department, approximately 8,700 nursery, primary and lower secondary school teachers, 821 faculty members of UG Health Sciences Department; and the Ministry of Education, which would benefit through improving capacity in curriculum design.
Given current enrollment shares between males and females in these regions, 50 percent of the student beneficiaries in nursery to lower secondary levels would be female.
Over 500 of 760 (more than 70%) of the UG Health and Sciences student beneficiaries are female. Broadly, high quality education will equip students with profound skills and knowledge, enable students to peruse higher education and obtain decent-paying jobs, which potentially contribute to Guyana’s economy.
