$85.7M contract awarded for Mathematics, English pilot project
GOVERNMENT has awarded an $85.7M contract for the execution of the Mathematics and English Pilot Project, which was recently launched by newly appointed  Minister of Education Priya Manickchand, in selected secondary schools. The announcement was made by Head of the Presidential Secretariat (HPS), Dr. Roger Luncheon at his weekly post-Cabinet news briefing on Wednesday.
He said the money being invested is aimed at providing the learning materials required for the successful implementation of the scheme.
Luncheon reported: “This project is endorsed by Cabinet and, in essence, it provides materials and instructions intended for the students participating in the Caribbean Secondary Entrance Certificate examination (CSEC) to enhance Guyana’s pass rate in those two subjects.”
Minister Manickchand introduced the bold new action last December, and emphasised that it is geared towards improving performance levels in Mathematics and English at the CSEC.
She said the pilot will be implemented in 32 selected schools in several Regions over the next five months, and would include intense interactions between students, parents and the teachers of the two critical subject areas, with the Education Ministry being the facilitating body.
This is one of the new Minister’s initiatives, geared towards transforming the country’s Education Sector.
Alluding to the details of it at the launching ceremony, she had said: “This project is aimed at taking up percentage passes in Mathematics and English, by at least 20 percent in the next five months and we are going to make sure you and the children have all the resources you need for the next five months. If we stick to this programme, with the resources we could see a 20 percent increase in the national pass mark.”
She also explained that each of the targeted 4,000 students  and their teachers, who form part of the programme, will be given the necessary tools, including texts, study guides,  revision DVDs, combined past papers from 2008 to 2011 and the stationery needed to make the project a success.
The Minister reiterated the Education Ministry’s support towards the success of the pilot project and expressed the confidence that, with the commitment required, it can become a model for the rest of the Caribbean.
The 32 schools involved in the programme were chosen from Regions Two (Pomeroon/Supenaam), Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara), Four (Demerara/ Mahaica), Five (Mahaica/Berbice), Six (East Berbice/Corentyne), Seven (Cuyuni/ Mazaruni), Nine (Upper Takatu/Upper Essequibo) and Ten (Upper Demerara/Upper Berbice).