– says two big corporate companies have an interest
POPULAR Linden businessman Dunstan Barrow has revealed plans to establish a similar system of ‘Home-Work Centres’ in Linden as he seeks information of the Grace Kennedy Limited style operations in Jamaica, where it has proven to have helped to upgrade the performance of school children in that country who have similar challenges to their Guyanese counterparts.
Speaking at the annual bursary awards ceremony for Grade Six Assessment winners for Region Ten Upper Demerara/ Berbice at his Barrow’s Restaurant and Lounge (BRL) business in Central Mackenzie, Mr. Barrow outlined his intention to assist in the development of education in the town.
As a shareholder of Grace Kennedy Limited, Barrow has taken the opportunity to seek information on the philosophy, mission and objectives and its methods of operation and administration for the ‘home-work centres’ educational approach, with the promise that full public recognition will be given to Grace Kennedy Limited of Jamaica.
According to Barrow, “basically what they have done is that they have similar problems to us, teachers not teaching, parents not helping, but they are not just talking about these things. They have been able to work with Grace Kennedy, and have been able to get Grace Kennedy to start ‘Home Work Centres’ so that the children, who are identified could go to these ‘home-work centres’ and get the assistance.”
He said employees from Grace Kennedy volunteer and Grace Kennedy also pays to get these things done. “We can start maybe with two home work centres at Wismar and two at Mackenzie with computers etc. as we have a lot of trained retiree teachers that we can get the community support to be employed at these home work centres and these kids can go to these homework centres and get assistance. They can be registered at these work centres so we would be assisting. We would not only be analysing the projects but we will be doing something as it relates to the whole question of education,” Barrow explained.
The former Chief Executive Officer of the bauxite company Guymine turned businessman said that he has been given support from two big corporate companies in Guyana who are willing to come on board with this idea of ‘home-work centres’ in terms of a pilot project in the town.
He said that the home-work centres will not be catering only for Grade Six Assessement children but also for those in the secondary schools.
Speaking at the recently held awards ceremony attended by regional education Officer Claude Johnson, Mr. Barrow announced those who were to receive plaques and cash incentives which included Regma Primary’s Christil Clarke who gained 527 marks at the National Grade Six Assessment Examinations and will be attending Bishops High School.
Others receiving awards were St Stanislaus Secondary bound Amelia’s Ward Primary’s Akel Aprel with 522 marks, One Mile Primary’s Dinan F Boodie and Watooka Day Primary’s Cleon McLeod both with 520 marks and St Aidan’s Primary Andrew McLeod with 513. Wismar Hill’s Nazeem Welcome and 47 Mile Primary’s Ravi Parsaram each with 518 will go to St Rose High as will Christianburg Primary’s Dwayne Williams with 516 marks.
Michael Layne of Mackenzie Primary is to attend St Joseph High while Kwakwani Primary School’s Michael Boyle and Coomacka Primary’s Richard Ruthill both with 502 marks along with Mabura Hill’s Alethea Williams with 488 and Aroiama Primary’s Shelroy Stephen with 476 are going to attend Mackenzie High School while Joy Peters will be going to Linden Foundation Secondary.