Manickchand announces developments in Education Sector
ALL secondary schools will be equipped with functioning Information Communication Technology departments and the ICT-based Success Maker Programme will be installed in 60 more primary schools for which teachers will be trained in the use of this software as a teaching and learning aid. The announcement was made in the National Assembly, on Thursday, when Education Minister Priya Manickchand answered a barrage of questions in the Committee of Supply.
It was during hours of intense scrutiny by Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) prior to approval of the $26.5 billion Estimates of Expenditure for the Ministry of Education in the 2012 National Budget.
Chief Whip for A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) and Shadow Education Minister Amna Ally, together with other Opposition Members of Parliament (MPs) grilled subject Minister Priya Manickchand on a number of items listed under the Ministry’s varying subheads and she gave detailed answers.
Ally queried whether it is a policy to have all Public Sector employees contracted and Manickchand said it is not but rather a choice of the workers, as a gratuity is offered at the end of a particular period.
Ally further questioned why is there an increase, to the total of $4,380M, in what is to be spent on security services and Manickchand answered that a detailed review of it was done, revealing the need.
The same questioner wanted to know about the increase in the Ministry’s Administration under training, why is there a greater allocation for senior technical staff. The Minister replied that the sum of $42.1M was provided for that group as the Ministry will be filling the vacancies that exist.

ALLOWANCES PAYABLE
Ally also enquired why 375 temporary employees are attached to the Training and Development Programme and who among them stands to benefit from allowances payable.
The Minister informed that the $5M provided for training will be used to pay stipends to teachers on the National Volunteer System while the 375 temporary employees, under the Training and Development Programme, serve to collate the results of the National Grades Examinations.
With regard to the categories who are beneficiaries of allowances, Manickchand explained that teachers and public officers, among others, will be paid vacation and maternity entitlements.
Ally charged that the Minister is including large sums of money under the Education Delivery Programme with no existing plan. However, Manickchand, in her rebuttal, said Ally’s suggestion, that there is no plan and, as such, the system is suffering, is irrational.
After the Minister reminded MPs to stick to questions within the estimates, Ally asked about the $300,000 provision for maintenance of other infrastructure and Manickchand replied that it included weeding and cleaning of drains and the fences at the local office of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).
Meanwhile, of the money allocated, $2.6 billion is directed towards capital expenditure which will see the rehabilitation and construction of a number of school compounds, among them erection of a new building in the Carnegie School of Home Economics complex, the Minister disclosed.
She told the House that $1 billion will be for the continued implementation of the National Hinterland School Feeding and School Uniform Programmes and $1.2 billion would be to boost teacher education.
In addition, a total of $3.3 billion is for continuing construction, extension, rehabilitation and maintenance of schools and other educational facilities countrywide. That includes erecting the Turkeyen Nursery School, extending the Parika/Salem Secondary School and Waramadong Dormitory and Teaching Block.
Additionally, works are to be done on La Bonne Intention, St. Pius and Diamond primary schools, Leonora Secondary School and dormitories at Charity and Sand Creek secondary schools and the Science and Information Technology laboratories are expected to be completed.