GBTI unveils education saving plan
Minister of Education Dr Rupert Roopnaraine addressing the gathering at launching of the GBTI Education Savings Plan on Monday. (Photo by Samuel Maughn). Saved in graphics November 24
Minister of Education Dr Rupert Roopnaraine addressing the gathering at launching of the GBTI Education Savings Plan on Monday. (Photo by Samuel Maughn). Saved in graphics November 24

EDUCATION Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has said that government hopes to establish a Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) Secretariat within his ministry to strengthen relations between the school and parents. He also applauded a move by the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry (GBTI) in providing an avenue for investment in education with the launch of its Education Savings Plan.The minister was speaking at a ceremony to unveil the work of GBTI, partnering with parents in providing an avenue for post-education saving by parents for their children’s education.
GBTI has launched its Education Savings Plan as an avenue for parents to bank on their child’s tertiary education from a tender age, making provisions for better career choices and enriching their lives. The plan was unveiled Monday at a ceremony at the GBTI Recreational Centre in Bel Air Park, Georgetown.

Involvement of Parents

Dr Roopnaraine said the direct involvement of parents is vital for success of the education sector in delivering quality education for all at all levels, and his ministry is moving towards parental partnership by the strengthening of the PTA in each school across the country.
Recently, in an interview with the Guyana Chronicle, he disclosed that inactive PTAs will be revitalised under his tenure as Minister of Education. He lauded the bold step GBTI took toward establishing the financial education plan and encouraged every bank to pursue possible opportunities to be another development bank.
Government has placed education as a priority, making the largest allocation by sector with $33 billion directed towards the development of the education system this year. Education has also been rated number four on the country’s sustainable development goals and the minister noted that without education nothing else works.
The education ministry oversees more than 176 schools and has a major responsibility for repairing the shambles which includes infrastructural renovation and other areas of performance in which it has failed over the years.
An Abomination
As such, Dr Roopnaraine said his ministry is moving to eliminate extra lessons “by improving our delivery of essential education in the classroom”, since extra lessons “has to do with our failure to deliver the curriculum in classrooms.”
The minister said he became particularly sympathetic upon learning that children as young as four years who are still in nursery schools are subjected to taking extra lessons, and deemed the mere idea abominable. “Childhood should be childhood and children should be children. This I believe is an abomination.”
On Friday, November 19, Minister Roopnaraine was patron at the launch of the Samsung Smart School Project which maximises the use of technology to deliver education in the classroom at the North Ruimveldt Multilateral School. He said he was astonished at the way learning has developed technologically and has urged parents to encourage such initiatives in the education of their child.

Dr Roopnaraine praised the contributions of parents of this year’s University of Guyana Turkeyen valedictorian Sachin Ramsuran and Tain Campus valedictorian Sasenarine Tomby, in raising children of excellence though they themselves are humble cane-cutters.
He suggested that Guyanese parents develop strategic investments in the future of their children and eliminate the culture of investing only in things they see as needful for immediate gains.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GBTI Mr. Robin Stoby, said the bank has maintained a recognised focus on youths over the years with its Early Savers Club, providing the opportunity for them to develop key financial skills, and its Career Guidance sessions conducted to prepare school leavers for the working environment. These initiatives by the bank, he said, are geared towards encouraging personal development and demonstrating the caring and supportive attitude of GBTI.
According to Stoby, a sound educational background guarantees immeasurable advantages for society, and the role of parents as partners in educating the child is vital in instilling values and fostering a character of responsibility and integrity which would lead to success. He said funding of the child’s education is “absolutely necessary” as it is important for each child to have the opportunity to attend school from nursery to university, offering them multiple pathways to develop their potential.
“With this GBTI Education Savings Plan, we are presenting parents and guardians with a choice, a chance to take bold action for your child’s education, to make them ready for today’s and inevitably tomorrow’s highly progressive world,” he stated.
The post-secondary education financial plan has a minimum total of $2M and a maximum of $15M and will be maintained in the child’s name, but activated by parent or legal guardian. Documented information on the plan will be available at GBTI branches across the country from today.

 

 

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