MINISTER of Education, Dr. Rupert Roopnarine has called on parents of Dartmouth and other surrounding communities on the Essequibo Coast to get involved in their children’s education.The Minister in an address to a large crowd of young people and parents at the Dartmouth Community Centre on Sunday told parents that they have a vital role to play in schools and they must be

committed to their children’s education.
The Minister also pointed out that sports in schools should be part of the extra-curricular activities. He told the large gathering that sports is very crucial in schools and he would like to see a sports programme in all schools across the country.
According to the Education Minister, the focus of the APNU+AFC Administration is more on the all-round round development of children.
He said the Ministry of Education wants to produce Guyanese citizens who at the end of their education can contribute to the development of Guyana.
Parents and young people during the interaction session were told to form themselves in groups of fifteen so as to discuss and come up with ideas to boost the development of education delivery in the Dartmouth/West Bury areas. The groups which numbered about eight had lively discussions on the topic while Minister Roopnarine also interacted with members of each group.
At the end of the group interactions, reports were presented by individual group leaders to the Minister and the audience. Some of the suggestions and solutions put forward by the various groups were setting up of a community library as a resource centre in the Dartmouth village and the establishment of a science laboratory at the 8th of May Secondary School.
SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME
Calls were also made for the APNU+AFC Government to introduce school feeding programme at the 8th of May primary, secondary and Flora nursery schools.
Calls were also made for remedial classes to be taught at primary schools instead at secondary schools. Suggestions were also made for the same subjects to be taught at all schools and for the $10,000 school vouchers programme to continue but must be given after the needs of parents are accessed. The need to supply all textbooks by Government at schools was also suggested.
One group suggested that there is need for a functional community center in the village and for more social workers in schools. The group also called for functioning departments at the 8th of May Secondary School and for a campus of the University of Guyana to be established on the Essequibo Coast.

NATIONAL SERVICE
Another group called on Government to set up a college for secondary education and for the reintroduction of National Service. The group also called for scholarships to be given to students who excel at CXC in the Region and for the Government to give back grants to schools to do their own purchasing. They suggested that the Regional stores were purchasing substandard materials for schools. Another group suggested that tripartite communities between teachers/parents and students should be set up and photocopiers should be placed at all schools.
The Minister in response thanked the parents and young people for contributing and sharing their ideas on moving the education sector to a higher level.
The interaction meeting was organised by the African Culture and Educational Association, Inc. [ACEA] as part of Emancipation Day activities in Region Two. (Rajendra Prabhulall)