EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand, yesterday, paid a visit to the Al Ghazali Islamic Academy in Woolford Avenue, Georgetown where she met and interacted with the students who recently sat the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) Examination. Addressing the group of students, including Abdur-Rahman Sattaur who placed sixth in the country, Manickchand told them that it’s not only about which school they go to, but  mostly about how hard they work and the attitude they have when they go to their respective schools.

She added that it also doesn’t matter whether they have the best teachers or not, nor what they are taught by these teachers, unless they are obedient.

Manickchand told the students who did not gain marks to attend Queen’s College that their life is not over because they didn’t get the school they wanted, since they can now work even harder to achieve what they want in life.

“You can now tell yourselves: I can make my life better from now on, whatever I want I can get because I will work hard for it, I will bear in mind that God is my guidance and I will work to ensure I get what I want,” she said.

She told the students that the world is open to them, so that despite which career they want to pursue, they can make that achievement as long as they work hard towards it.
Manickchand pointed out that the ministry supports the enterprise of running private schools and they share openly and willingly all of their resources, and also involves private school teachers in their training sessions.
 “Whether public or private these are our children, these are Guyana’s children and these will be our new leaders of Guyana’s tomorrow…,” she maintained.
She congratulated all of the students who wrote the examination, particularly Abdur-Rahman Sattaur who was one of the students who placed sixth in the country.
Manickchand also commended the teachers of the school for all their hard work with the students, particularly, Sir Jhonny Mongal, the Grade Six teacher whose lessons many of the children from both private and public schools attend.
Meanwhile, Central Islamic Organisation of Guyana (CIOG) Education Department Director, Sheik Moeen-ul-Hack thanked the minister for her visit to the school and all the assistance the ministry has given them over the years, adding  that they see their role as complementing that of the ministry.
“So we look forward to this cooperation and this partnership because we have a common objective to produce productive citizens and people who are educated,” he stated.
He pointed out that they also have schools in Berbice, Essequibo, and on the West Coast, and they are subsidizing the orphans and vulnerable children who are in their schools through scholarships.
According to him, at this year’s NGSA they secured 100% passes, and he commended all of the Grade Six teachers who have done an excellent job.
Hack noted that they have received some textbooks for the orphans at the schools, and their teachers also attend training programmes facilitated by the education ministry.