Parents urged to stop ‘school shopping’

Minister of Education Priya Manickchand on a visit to Starter’s Nursery School, Georgetown to check on the new process of the ongoing registration of students being done, stated that the ministry is discouraging parents from “school shopping,” that is, choosing the best school based on previous results, since every school is supposed to be a good school that provides good results.

According to a release from the Government Information Agency (GINA), the minister disclosed that the Ministry of Education is currently registering children, who are eligible for the nursery and primary levels. The process is being conducted at the various schools, so the parents no longer have to queue outside the Ministry of Education.

The minister was quoted as saying that the policy is that every child is entitled to a place in a primary or nursery school, nearest to their homes. However, if the parents are unhappy with the school that the child has been placed at or wishes to have the child attend a school that might be closer to their working environment then they can make an appeal for their child to be placed in a school that is more convenient to them.

This placement however, depends on the availability of places in the schools in that area since children living in that area will have first preference. The child will be placed in a school that is nearest to that area as long as there is accommodation.

Manickchand encouraged the parents to have their children registered as soon as possible to avoid the September rush, GINA added.