THE Ministry of Education, through its planning unit, has begun training for private schools in Region 4, and commenced training in Region 6 on Wednesday. According to a statement from the ministry, the programme is intended to update its database on private schools and to conduct a series of training sessions with them, so that they could provide the information that will be required by the new Education Bill.

A proposed Education Bill, the first of its kind since Guyana gained independence, according to subject Minister Priya Manickchand, was tabled in the National Assembly on June 19, 2014, and was read for the first time.
The current Education Act came into being since 1876 and was last amended sometime in 1976. The proposed Bill, on the other hand, is intended to repeal the Education Act, reform the legal framework for education in Guyana and provide an effective system of education related to the needs of the people.
The Education Bill 2014 provides for the inspection of private educational institutions with a view to their being granted a permit to operate; establishment of Parent Teachers Associations (PTAs) and granting permits issued by the ministry for the institution or school.
This Act will apply to every private educational institution or private school providing all or any of the following educational services at pre-primary education; primary education; secondary education; special education; instructional services in general education at the tertiary level; instructional services in vocational education; and training at the secondary, tertiary and adult levels.
According to the statement, training has begun with private schools in Region 4 — excluding Georgetown — and commenced in Region 6 on Wednesday. Dates for the start of training sessions with private schools in Georgetown and other regions will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Ministry of Education is therefore inviting all private educational institutions to make contact with the Department of Education in their respective regions to ensure that their school is on the list of participants.