The Ministry of Education yesterday commenced assessment of schools in Regions Two, Four, Six, Ten and Georgetown to identify the winners of the child-friendly school competition organized as part of activities to observe Education Month.
The schools are being assessed in a number of areas, including friendly and safe physical environmental conditions, water, sanitization, hygiene education, health and nutrition, quality and success of learning.
Child-friendly schools aim to develop a learning environment in which children are motivated, able to learn, and staff members are friendly and welcoming to children and attend to their health and safety needs.
The initiative, executed in conjunction with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is in keeping with the theme for Education Month, “Child-Friendly Homes: Child Friendly Classrooms-Quality Education”.
According to Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary) Bibi Ali, through the exercise, the Ministry is hoping to certify at least 10 child-friendly schools in each competing region.
She pointed out that each school that is part of the competition will be assessed three times and the regional winner will be announced after the first assessment which ends on October 1.
These schools, Ali said, will also be presented with certificates for their participation. The top 10 to 15 schools of the participating education districts will move on to the second and third assessments for the UNICEF certification.
The second assessment will be held on October 25 to 29, while the third be carried out on November 22 to 26, and will be conducted by external judges from the Central Ministry and UNICEF.
The top three schools in each of the competing education districts will each receive a plaque and the first place winner will receive three computers.
The second place winner will be awarded two computers while the school that secures the third place will be given one computer.
The top three schools in the country will also be presented with plaques. In addition, the first place winner will receive a computer and refrigerator; the second place winner a refrigerator and PA system; and the third place winner, a television set and a PA system.
The plaques will be valid for two years after which the holders will be re-assessed to determine whether their standards are maintained.
Recently, the Ministry of Education, in keeping with its thrust to promote child-friendly school environments, introduced the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) programme in another 30 schools throughout Guyana.
The intervention was a promise fulfilled by Education Minister Shaik Baksh who had earlier this year told  stakeholders at a forum to promote safe, positive and acceptable behaviours in schools at the Guyana International Conference Centre (GICC), that the programme will come on stream sooner than later to address students’ indiciplinary behaviour in a more holistic way.
The initiative, which is not new to the school system, is being piloted at schools in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven and Ten where the behavioural pattern of students is being closely monitored.
The minister, in his address at the launching of the HFLE programme at the Regency Suite Hotel on Hadfield Street, Georgetown, pointed out that the timetabled programme will be part of the Continuous Professional Development Programme (CPDP) programme.
He noted too that teachers who successfully complete training to impart the discipline will receive credits which will serve as an advantage when they apply for promotion.
The programme includes components that address several areas of topical interest, including moral, civic, human rights and HIV/AIDS education.