In an attempt to address the “under representation of boys” in secondary schools UNICEF will partner with the government in a massive research project to find the root causes of this phenomenon.
Deputy Country Represen-tative of UNICEF Rudi Luchmann, during an interview with some members of the media at the institution’s headquarters, stated that education was one of the main areas in which UNICEF had an interest.
In a press release to media representatives, UNICEF noted that while the country has achieved gender parity at the primary level this was not the same at the secondary level. The release stated that this was a general “Caribbean trend”. While Guyana had a high primary school enrolment rate of 96 per cent and was on track to achieve one of the Millennium Development Goals, the release noted that the transition rate to secondary school is currently less than 70 per cent.
When asked what the solution was to ensuring that boys stayed in secondary schools, Luchmann said that there may be need to do more homework. He suggested that “one of the main problems is maybe we haven’t done our homework yet and that we haven’t analysed what makes boys drop out of school.”
According to Luchmann there is the need for a situational analysis to be conducted which will look into the root causes of boys dropping out of schools. He said that this would involve looking at violence that young men are involved in or are victims of.
Luchmann said UNICEF, in collaboration with the government, will engage in a massive piece of research throughout next year after which they hope to be in a far better position to address this problem. He stated that the outcome of this research will directly influence UNICEF’s country programme from 2012.
Meanwhile, when asked to comment on the local education system, Luchmann said that UNICEF had worked closely with the Ministry of Education and was observing all the efforts being made to transform the education system. UNICEF participated in helping the Education Ministry develop its Early Childhood Development Strategy, Luchmann said while adding that this strategy had the potential to be transformational.
However, he emphasised that no education system would be effective without the necessary caring society and said that the government clearly had taken cognizance of this and was making steps in the right direction.
UNICEF had noted on its website that the quality of education offered locally was poor. When asked if the education system needed to be restructured, Luchmann stated that it was not schools alone who educated children and that other entities needed to play a role. He emphasised the need for positive role models in society. He said UNICEF is always concerned that all children get the best access to quality education.
