An $89m nursery school was today commissioned at Martyrsville on the East Coast of Demerara by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand.
A release from the ministry said that a promise was made to the residents of the area that a nursery school would be built in the community to relieve parents of the burden of taking their children to the Mon Repos Nursery School and the Good Hope Nursery School.
The school was opened on September 5, 2022, the first day of the school term and was officially commissioned today by Manickchand in the company of the Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlall, SC, Region Four Chairman, Daniel Seeram and other senior officers within the Ministry of Education and the Regional Administration.
Manickchand reminded the teachers who were present today that Region Four produced one of the students who tied for the top spot at this year’s National Grade Six Assessment – Neuel Bancroft from the Annandale Primary School. She said that in addition to parental support and natural brilliance, the student had to be surrounded by great teachers from nursery school up to Grade Six.
The Education Minister also told parents present that one common thread running through the stories of successful students is the support they receive from parents. “We are asking for your partnership. This means having a deep interest in your children’s education. When we get partnerships right we will see children excelling in ways we didn’t imagine,” Manickchand remarked.
Further, she said that the Government of Guyana promises that children will continue to receive support such as cash grants, meals and textbooks among other benefits. She said that for the first time in the history of the country all Grade Six children will receive breakfast daily. She added that Grade Five and Six children are receiving all the textbooks they need free of cost and shortly after all primary school children will receive all the textbooks they need for free.
Nandlall said that less than three decades ago the land on which the edifice stands was a cow pasture. He enlightened those present today that he had attended nursery school in the community which was a ‘bottom house’.
He said that it is important that the transformation that has taken place and continues to occur must be appreciated. He said that there are many more projects slated for the region including a modern hospital at Enmore, new water treatment plants at Friendship/Buxton, Bachelor’s Adventure and Mahaica and an industrial complex where the Enmore Estate factory was which will create jobs.
Seeram described the school as a blessing to the community and the region since it will offset the overcrowding at the Mon Repos Nursery and the Good Hope Nursery School.
Regional Education Officer, Stembiso Grant said that the school adds to the list of 58 nursery schools in the region, the release said.
