Given the socio-economic and political reality in Guyana, Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee says that he is satisfied with the current level of educational performance of police recruits.

Responding to a question asked by Parliamentarian Deborah Backer at Wednesday’s sitting of the National Assembly, on whether the government is prepared to increase the academic entry requirement to the Guyana Police Force from a sound primary or secondary education to a sound secondary education, he said that the Force’s recruitment drive focuses on applicants who possess passes at the General Certificate of Education particularly in English and Mathematics or its equivalent.

The minister added that they are also required to pass a written entrance examination set by the Ministry of Education to determine suitability while applicants without a secondary education are also tested to determine their suitability. Once successful, on other criteria and merit, they are given an opportunity to join the force, Rohee stated. He asserted that over the years, applicants without secondary school grounding have joined the force and have developed to become competent police officers.

He stated that while the ideal situation is to recruit applicants with relevant academic qualifications, to refuse the other sectors might be premature and on whether he was satisfied with the level of educational performance of the recruits at the present level, he said that given the realities in Guyana, he was satisfied but pointed out that one could never be satisfied but always try to improve their qualifications.