— Minister Manickchand
EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand has said it is interesting that Opposition Leader David Granger’s concern would be aroused at the same time when the Education, Amerindian Affairs and Local Government ministries are embarking on a detailed examination of the status of the country’s hinterland secondary schools, with particular focus on the provision of services at, and expansion of, dormitories.
The minister made this pronouncement in a statement issued Saturday, as she sought to respond to calls from the Opposition Leader for an immediate, independent investigation into the administration of hinterland secondary schools, especially those with dormitories.

Granger’s call
Granger’s call came in the wake of recent reports of “misconduct by teachers and students, and of dangerous mismanagement by the Ministry of Education,” according to a statement from A Partnership for National Unity (APNU).
In that statement, Granger said severe and chronic administrative problems have hampered education of the students in many regions.
“About 2,500 students currently live in state-run dormitories throughout the country, (stretching) from Hosororo in the Barima-Waini region to Aishalton in the Rupununi region. There has been scant remedial action on the problems over the years, and there seems to have been no significant improvement in the management of the dormitories.”
Granger’s statement outlined several issues affecting hinterland education facilities, and he warned that: “As the 10th Parliament starts its work after 19 years of People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration, the Opposition will have no tolerance for the sloppy management of the nation’s hinterland schools.”
He insisted that the time has come to improve the conditions in hinterland schools, “in order to protect our nation’s children from abuse.”

Minister’s response
However, the Education Minister explained that the Chief Education Officer is presently leading a team of officials from the Education Ministry, and they are currently at the dormitory of the St. Ignatius School in Region 9 (Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo) to deliver more educational materials to students there, and to examine ways in which they can improve the delivery of education.
This visit to Region 9 comes one week after the Chief Education Officer visited the Santa Rosa Secondary School in Region 1 (Barima/Waini) to conduct a similar exercise, and there are plans to visit the dorm school at Paramakatoi next week, the minister emphasized.
“While Mr. Granger’s interest may be late, and even to a reasonable person may appear to be motivated by political opportunism, his interest is encouraged. I would urge, though, that some balance and reality be attached to statements made about our children, and that we desist from politicking with our young and innocent student population,” Minister Manickchand said.
The Education Minister emphasized that, because of the PPP/C’s interest in treating hinterland children equally, and because of conscious and focused policies and programmes to provide education in the hinterland, the country can now boast of the largest numbers of students from the hinterland areas writing CXC examinations, with an unprecedented number of passes at those examinations.
She said, “St Ignatius is just one example of the success of hinterland education. The enrolment and exam results of the hinterland schools evidence the success of the government’s efforts. A new school is just about to be opened in Sand Creek, and more such interventions in hinterland education are being undertaken.
“Additionally, the percentage of trained teachers in the hinterland is the highest it has ever been in Guyana… Vigourous efforts are being made to increase this percentage of even more.”

Tip of the pyramid
Manickchand also noted that the above mentioned interventions represent only a small list of the various efforts being made to ensure that opportunities are provided to the nation’s young people. She pointed out that some of our recently qualified doctors, engineers and other professionals are graduates from the hinterland secondary schools, which are opportunities they would not have had without the aforesaid interest in hinterland education.
“We have, inter alia, last year, conducted extensive training with our Dorm Mothers and Fathers, and heads of dorm schools, even while we continue to expand and upgrade dorm facilities in several regions,” the Education Minister added.
While recognizing the improvements made in providing quality education and better living conditions, Minister Manickchand acknowledged that the shortcomings must be specifically addressed within the constraints of the country’s economy, even as the nation is applauded for moving from a place where hinterland students, particularly Amerindian sons and daughters, were treated as being without rights to an education — and indeed, without rights generally — to a place where thousands of such students, previously neglected, are actually receiving education even as the country seeks to provide universal access to secondary education.
In underscoring the importance of facing these challenges head-on, the minister said, “We are in the process of doing just that, with a focused view to ensuring all of our children receive equitable access to quality education, and to all our services. We recognize that we share, with the rest of the world, the challenges that are faced by dorms and dorm schools. We are, however, determined to meet those challenges.”