MY name is Elson Browne-Low and I am writing on behalf of The Benab Foundation, the budding non-profit organisation recently featured in an article in the Stabroek newspaper entitled ‘Young People Initiate Solutions’. Objective journalism is about truth, not opinion; it seems that much of the truth about The Benab Foundation, and our message, was obscured in this article.

It is true that Guyana’s pass rates hover well-below 50%, but it is also true that the Ministry of Education is working hard to improve this, by no means lethargic. To those who doubt this there is a simple proof to quiet their concerns – Guyana’s pass rates in Mathematics and English are akin to those around the Caribbean, from oil-rich Trinidad to the smaller isles. It is easy to blame the Ministry of Education, and especially the Government, for every problem we citizens encounter; The Benab Foundation has never and will never be concerned with blame, because we are not interested in doing the easy thing to no avail.

What we are interested in, this day as always, is helping Guyanese who need it. There are certainly problems in Guyana’s education system and too many children who could succeed, fail; but there is nonetheless hope – not in the easy glory of political opposition but the disciplined will to step back and ask ourselves what the problems are and how we can help. This is the role The Benab Foundation seeks to carry out this day and always. This is what we stand for.