GUYANA has been able to achieve universal primary education, and is now striving to attain the goal of universal secondary education.
“One of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is the achievement of 100 percent secondary education and that is a goal that is still ahead of us and I hope over the next few years, that will also be achieved,” said Education Minister, Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) second Career Day opening last Friday.

TECHNOLOGY ENHANCEMENT

For this goal to be realised, Dr. Roopnaraine said that teachers have to lift their performance in classrooms and this begins at the level of training, that is, at the CPCE. He noted also that there is need for enhancing the capacity of teachers since they are behind with technology.

Mere days ago, the United Nations launched its 2030 Agenda of SDGs that build on the MDGs that were a part of the Millennium agenda that was decided and agreed by global leaders in the year 2000.
Under the SDGs, 17 goals are stated which global leaders have committed to outline the global way forward to end all forms of poverty. Goal number four speaks of promoting lifelong learning by ensuring there is inclusive and quality education for all.
It is in this context, that Education Minister Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine is anticipating the achievement of universal secondary education over the next few years, since that goal is still ahead of Guyana.
TABLETS AND LAPTOPS
The Education Minister then touted government’s move to equip students and teachers with tablets and laptops. After much investigation on the state of the country’s education system, it has been revealed, according to Dr. Roopnaraine, that Guyana’s current technological position is a setback.
Against this backdrop, government has decided to push for technological advancement in schools, starting with making laptops available to teachers, beginning with those at CPCE, so they can provide firsthand information to students, rather than having to rely solely on textbooks.
In today’s globalised environment, technology is moving at a rapid pace in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). However, though steps have already been taken to expand on these subjects in secondary schools, Guyana still has a far way to go, said Dr. Roopnaraine, so that students are trained to be technical and creative problem-solvers.

ROLE OF PARENTS
Moreover, to achieve universal secondary education, Dr. Roopnaraine said all Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs) across the country need to be activated since it is essential that parents play pivotal roles in their children’s education.
Following a series of large community meetings where parents expressed worry about their children’s schooling, the minister saw the need for an audit of PTAs in schools countrywide. This commissioning of the audits was sought in early September.
The rationale behind this, he pointed out, is to “see throughout the systems where PTAs are working and where they are not working to fix them.”
Universal secondary education has been on the education system’s agenda for years and the new administration is committed to achieve this goal over the next few years.
Meanwhile, at CPCE’s Career Day, there was an average of 30 participants from the main departments of Mathematics, Social Studies, Science, Information and Communication Technology. Other booths were displayed in areas of Agricultural Science, Home Economics, Industrial Technology, Science Department, Student Development and a special needs booth as well as one for support staff.
The event was staged under the theme, “Quality Educational Leadership: Improving Schools from within,” which also coincides with the theme of Education Month.