Government’s Education Plan through which it hopes to achieve “100 per cent functional literacy in children” through improved teaching methods and use of information technology has gotten a $15.6 billion boost in this year’s national budget.
Making the announcement during his speech in parliament yesterday, Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh said the plan will see improved access to nursery, primary and secondary schools that will be constructed or rehabilitated in the ten regions of Guyana.
The $15.6 billion allocation to the education sector includes $850 million to continue the implementation of the Basic Education Access and Management Support Programme (BEAMS).
Singh said improving the curriculum and introducing new teaching methods, especially in English and Mathematics, will be crucial to Guyana pupils attaining better results. “Madam Speaker, in the education sector, the Government will fully implement the Education Plan.” He said teacher training will be accelerated so that eventually all teachers in the public school system will be trained. “To accomplish this, we will add more resource centres to the existing eight regional centres, and expand the distance learning model. We will strengthen the employment of cluster advisers to assist in improving teaching standards and management of schools. We will continue to develop initiatives and work with stakeholders to improve teaching conditions and stem the out-migration of teachers.”
The minister said a number of awareness initiatives will be undertaken to advance literacy and numeracy programmes in schools, for example, literacy contests, radio advertisements, printing of brochures, posters and newsletters.
Through collaboration with the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), the entry level of approximately 400 teachers from the hinterland and riverain areas will be upgraded.
The minister said another $500 million has been budgeted for the Education For All-Fast Track Initiative to upgrade approximately ten schools in Regions Two, Three and Ten; construct teachers’ houses in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine; procure textbooks; continue the school-feeding programme in hinterland schools; and pay the remote area initiative to teachers in Regions One, Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten.
“We have also earmarked $87 million for the completion of the state-of-the-art Wisburg Secondary School in Region Ten, which will accommodate approximately 1,050 students. In addition, an amount of $30 million has been allocated for the development of a programme to teach Mathematics and English through open and distance learning methodologies.”
Singh said another $645 million will be spent on the construction, extension and rehabilitation of schools and teachers’ quarters and the provision of tools, furniture and equipment.
Activities which have been included in this provision are the reconstruction of schools in various locations, rehabilitation and provision of science laboratory equipment for the University of Guyana (Turkeyen Campus); and completion of the science laboratory and procurement of library books, computers and accessories for the Tain Campus. “Students attending the University of Guyana can expect to benefit from an additional $450 million, which has been allocated to the Student Loan Fund, while the two campuses of the university will benefit from a total subvention of $509 million.”
The minister said the Education Plan caters for imbuing children with life skills as well as technical and vocational skills in order for them to function in a globalised environment. “In 2007, the facilities of the Kuru Kuru Cooperative College, Teacher’s Training Complex, Critchlow Labour College, Government Technical Insti-tute, and Linden Technical Institute would all benefit from construction and/or rehabilitation works or the provision of furniture and equipment. Practical instruction centres and secondary schools will be equipped with tools and equipment to conduct courses in areas such as woodwork, masonry, home economics, welding, agriculture and electrical installation.”
