Transforming Guyana through Science and Technology
THE education system of Guyana is very diverse as Guyanese are fortunate to have a well rounded school system. Education is recognised as one of the most fundamental building blocks of human development, and is one of the strongest instruments for reducing poverty, improving health, gender equality, peace and stability. Since taking office in 1992, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) has prioritised and modernised the education sector dramatically over the years. Attributed to heavy investments and visionary governance by the administration, once again Guyanese students are excelling at the various levels within the Caribbean and internationally.

History of Education in Guyana
To the bulk of Guyana’s population, the bleak outlook of this colony was one of a mass of enslaved people with no formal education or training. Education has its roots in Guyanese history since 1807 and this can be traced back to Hermanus Post, a Dutch planter through the pioneering work of Reverend John Wray. Through his efforts and through the efforts of missionaries, plans were on stream to educate enslaved workers. Given the careful considerations by the London Missionary Society, permission was granted and thus formal education began in British Guiana. The establishment of two schools for boys and girls aided this process gradually. However, oftentimes, revolts by the slaves  frequently caused a downfall in any progress made. The 1823 revolt placed a halt on the  progress of education significantly and this led to the establishment of  free schools in New Amsterdam. In addition to this, the De Saffon Institute for poor white children was also established.
Over the years, education took a twist to encompass the needs of community as many slaves were now being freed and there was a greater need for community building. Through a philosophical approach by the Reverend John Sterling in 1835, the establishment of a system of secondary education utilizing a broad-based curriculum, including Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, English, History, Geography, Book Keeping, Natural Philosophy and Mathematics was institutionalized. With the founding of ‘Queen’s College Grammar School’ on the 5th August 1814, secondary academic education in British Guiana entered a new phase. The British Guiana education system was taking the shape of a more organized and comprehensive system. Public schools, operated by religious organisations, began to appear in the early 1800s. Elementary schools flourished under the direction of the London Missionary Society, and in 1876 primary education became compulsory for children aged 6 to 14. Textbooks were prepared in the United Kingdom favouring continental history and literature. All the examinations were given in Great Britain or were administered from that country. Technical and vocational education was not known and not until the University of Guyana was established in 1963, those seeking higher education had to attend universities abroad.
Guyana’s education system underwent major reforms in 1960s, when the government assumed control of the schools and the establishment of the Ministry of Education designed to cater for the upgrading and maintaining of the general standards and the delivery of education throughout Guyana. Attaining independence in 1966, the country inherited a well-established educational system that was more or less controlled by the British government, but its curricula and education aims were patterned after the British system. Changes were made to align the schools with the country’s political goals, ethnic makeup, and economic needs among other things. Those attending high school would choose between academic, academic and technical, and vocational high schools. The establishment of technical institutes was seen as a major advancement for education in Guyana.
With these improvements in place, the literacy rate rose above 95 percent, but conditions in the schools were far from ideal as the makeup of government was not in the best interest of the people. Truancy and illiteracy increased. The economic problems created by the past government of the 1980s led to a vast underfunding of the education sector and mismanagement of the education system; and this led to mass migration of teachers and the desertion of the school system. Overrun with social problems of poverty and high debt, Guyana’s education vastly dwindled from among the best in the Caribbean in the 1960s to among the worst in the world in the 1980s.
The school structures were neglected, educational materials became scarce or non-existent, and equipment deteriorated. Teachers’ salaries were poor. The number of trained teachers dropped gradually, many sought positions out of the country to escape political oppression and job insecurity. In 1989, the government had introduced an Economic Recovery Programme, turning from a state-controlled, socialist economy toward a free-market system. By 1999, improvement in education was among the government’s top priorities of the current People’s Progressive Party Civic’ government. Teachers’ salaries have been raised and new schools are being built, reflecting an upturn in the country’s education system.

Achievements made under the Education System
Evident through the annual improvement is the overall rate of passes at the Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) and the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE). Passes also in the varying subject areas are also very evident. The fact that more emphasis is being placed on human capital, the government thus sees these investments as long-term benefits as qualified individuals can contribute to society significantly either in a technical way.
Meanwhile, Guyana continues to improve its performances at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in the various subject areas.
In 2011, there were 70,000 subject entries, as compared to 62, 945 in 2010, showing an increase of 13 percent. Of the subject entries 26, 870 were males and 44,000 females. The Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector is growing tremendously over the last few years. ICT is playing a major part on schools curricula now that the education ministry is diversifying.  This is expected to boost the delivery of education in the hinterland and rural centres.
The Government’s overall agenda of ensuring that the population is equipped with skills and academic qualifications to be viable and to be able to contribute to the development of the country continues to pay dividends as Guyanese students continue to excel.
Expenditure in the education sector has increased annually, reflecting Government’s commitment to this sector. This year’s allocation of $24.3B to the sector represents an increase of $2.5B over the previous allotted allocation for 2010.
Infrastructural Support

Credited to educational foresight for the country as a whole, construction and rehabilitation of schools across the country are of paramount importance and even so much more important in rural developing areas. Schools constructed and rehabilitated include Lower Kaituma Primary; Mabaruma Primary; Cotton Field Secondary; Charity Secondary; Pomona Secondary; CV Nunes Primary; Sparta and Hampton Court Primary; Windsor Forest Primary; Greenwich Park Secondary; Hope Secondary; Diamond Secondary; De Hoop Primary; Mora Point Nursery/Primary; Tain Nursery and Primary; Waramadong Secondary; Jawalla Primary; Mahdia Secondary; Arapaima Primary; Baitoon Primary; Linden Foundation Secondary and Wisburg Secondary are among those that the government and the ministry have resuscitated in an effort to have the delivery of education across the country. Rural and urban schools have been rehabilitated and new ones constructed so that the education sector now is on par with many of the region.

Advanced Training and Future Plans
The delivery of Education has been further enhanced with the initiation of the US$4.2M Guyana Improvement    Teacher’s    Education    Project. Some $200M was budgeted in 2011 towards this programme, while a further $919M has also been budgeted for teacher training, with the aim of achieving the medium-term target of 70 percent trained teachers by 2013. Over 500 teachers are trained annually at government’s expense at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE). The CPCE Secondary School Academic Certificate Programme was initiated to reduce the number of untrained teachers in the school system. The 2008-2013 Education Strategic Plan is the fourth in a series of plans by the current government to identify areas of interest so as to formulate policies and strategies that the education sector needs in order to significantly improve the quality    of    its    output. A US$20.5M Implementation Fund secured from international donors is aiding the    plan. Information and Communication  Technology (ICT) has taken the world by storm and by inference it is essential that developing countries take the initiative to capitalize before they are left behind. The implementation of the One Laptop Per Family (OLPF) is another step in the right direction for    the    government. Work has commenced to have computer laboratories in all secondary schools, while primary schools will benefit from a similar initiative. Meanwhile, 78 information technology laboratories were completed at primary and secondary schools, with 11 more slated for completion in 2011. To complement this initiative, the first ever Education Television Broadcasting Service- Learning Channel,    came into    being. Major initiatives undertaken by the Government in 2010 include the ongoing National School Feeding Programme which cost over $900 million and continue to benefit more than 63,000 students annually, and the National School Uniform Assistance Programme which benefited over some 200,000 students across the country.
Guyana is one of those Caribbean countries that have adopted a project-driven path to improving its education system in which interventions are specifically directed to particular levels. The strategies adopted are aimed at improving access to and the quality of education delivered, while at the same time rationalizing the importance of secondary education and modernizing schools across the country with technology. This government will continue in its efforts to further enhance human capital so that the country can move forward. This year Education Month is being observed under the theme “Transforming Guyana through Science and Technology in Education.” The month-long celebrations will see many forums, seminars and outreaches among others deemed relevant in the observances.