IT would be foolish to say that our education system is perfect or has reached the desired level, but it would be even more foolish to contend that is has not improved significantly over the last 15 years because today we have more and better schools at the nursery, primary and secondary levels; as well as more technical institutes in rural communities; more avenues for training teachers and a vast increase in financial investment in the education system by both the government and private sector. As regards the latter, the number of private schools and other private educational institutions has burgeoned in recent years following a long period when they were outlawed by the PNC government. And these private institutions have been doing well and helping to bolster and ease the pressure on the public school system.

The improvement in the education system has been reflected by continuous improvement in examination results with frequent, outstanding performances by our students. But what stands out even more is the fact that many of these students are from schools in rural communities. Gone are the days when top performers came from an elite group of schools.
This year has been an extraordinary one as we have copped five out of eight CXC awards, with two of the students coming from a rural school-Anna Regina Secondary.
But still we have some among us who are oblivious to the improvement in our education system or more appropriately, are deliberately oblivious and therefore see only negatives within the system.
One writer in another section of the media even described our education system as being “calamitous.” According to the Concise Oxford Dictionary, a calamity “is an event causing great and often sudden damage or distress.” Based on this definition, could anyone in his/her true senses describe our education system as calamitous? Or has the definition for calamity changed? But the political inclination of that writer is known and therefore one would not expect him to say anything positive or good about the education system.
Earlier, a political leader asserted that our education is in crisis. Well, if our education system is in crisis and it is doing so well and constantly improving, then it would be better for it to remain in perpetual crisis.
These gentlemen’s description of “calamitous” and “crisis” perfectly fits another era when we had dilapidated schools; an acute shortage of all types of school supplies; shortage of teachers and under the doctrine of paramountcy of the party students and teachers were coerced into attending functions and ceremonies of the then ruling party.
A World Bank report said: “In 1991, Guyana’s Educational System was probably the weakest in the Caribbean. Learning in schools, as measured by national and Caribbean-wide examinations was extremely low. A large proportion of the teaching force was unqualified and untrained. Text books and teaching aids were seldom available.” The World Bank Report continued: “Although the government has widely acknowledged and stressed the important role of education in Guyana’s economic development, resources allocation to the (education) sector have declined sharply over the past decade. Spending on education accounted for only about 7.4 percent of total recurrent expenditures in 1991, whereas in 1984 they had accounted for 17.6 percent of total recurrent spending… The most notable change has been the sharp decline in spending on teachers’ salaries, both by the ministry and the regional administrations between 1986 and 1991. Over this period, spending on salaries by the ministry dropped from 62 percent to 25 percent.”
A Headmaster/Mistress maximum salary in 1990 was a mere $733.00 (US$16.29) per month. In 1992, it was $1,708 (US$13.66). Note: as of mid-1990, the official exchange rate was G$45 per US dollar, but the unofficial rate (at the legal exchange houses) was G$80 for US$1. An important milestone was reached in early 1991 when Guyana adopted a floating exchange rate, removing the distinction between the official and the market exchange rates. The Guyanese dollar stabilised at US$1=G$125 in June 1991. Today, under the PPP/C government, a Headmaster/Mistress maximum salary is $213, 907 (US$1,069.00).
The report confirmed a severe shortage of textbooks during this period.
“Visits to primary schools revealed that students frequently had no access to textbooks… Schools, which generally lack fences and seldom have secured windows or shutters, have become targets of theft. Water faucets, furniture and other equipment are routinely stolen… Educational efficiency in Guyana is low, and the range of problems to be addressed is vast. Learning is low, teacher quality poor and resource constraints severe.
“The percentage of primary students passing the Secondary School Entrance Examination (SSEE) is exceedingly low (Note: This has been replaced by the National Grade Six Examination today); in 1990, only 19 percent passed English, 18 percent (passed) Mathematics, and 19 percent Social Studies…. In 1992, of students writing the CXC examination, only 9 percent passed English, 5 percent Social Studies, and 18 percent Mathematics.”
This is what the World Bank, which has no allegiance to the PPP or any reason to be supportive of it, reported and what it said certainly more resembles “calamitous” and “crisis.”