– parents urged to give children unfettered support
PRINCIPAL Education Officer (Georgetown), Marcel Hutson, has called on parents in Sophia to give their unfettered support to ensure that their children attend school and receive a sound education as registration began at the newly constructed $15.8M nursery school at ‘C’ Field. Addressing a group of parents on the school’s premises on Tuesday, Hutson emphasised that education is “the vehicle out of poverty” and pointed out that considerable attention is being placed on expanding access and opportunities at all levels.
He said that the spanking Sophia Nursery School which will be opened in September is the second in Sophia, and the Ministry of Education intends to make the school a model facility.
On that point, the Principal Education Officer urged teachers and parents to care the building and work collectively to realise its purpose.
Hutson said that school is open to new admissions and though the registration exercise ends on Friday the process will still be opened to special cases in September.
School uniform vouchers were also distributed to parents whose children will be attending school for their first time in the coming school term.
The new school which features modern facilities including, teachers’ and students’ washrooms, recreational equipment, a staff room and a sick bay, has the capacity to house in excess of 100 pupils.
Meanwhile, Hutson pointed out that the access road to the school has been earmarked for repair and the recreational area in the school’s compound will also be upgraded.
Education Minister Shaik Baksh earlier this year had noted that while his ministry has been able to achieve Universal Primary and Secondary Education, there is only about 80 per cent coverage at the nursery level.
But he stressed that strides are being made to increase attendance at the latter and was upbeat that Universal Nursery Education can be achieved in another two to three years.
The Ministry of Education has been making encouraging progress in this regard, notable with the school feeding programme, and Baksh said that now the school uniform programme includes the nursery level, the goal of Universal Nursery Education is becoming closer to reality.
He said too that under the new education legislation which is currently at the Attorney General Chambers, it has been made compulsory for children who are three years, nine months to attend school.
Parents who fail to comply, he said, will be placed before the court.