COMPLAINTS by teachers among other things caused government not to renew the contract of former Chief Education Officer (CEO) Olato Sam, Education Minister Dr Rupert Roopnaraine has said. Roopnaraine also hinted that Assistant Chief Education Officer (Primary), Marcel Raymond Hutson is not unlikely to get the nod as Sam’s replacement. “It’s not unlikely, we have to make a determination of what needs to be done and whether Mr Hutson himself feels that he is up to executing these tasks,” the minister told the Government Information Agency (GINA), on Thursday. Hutson has a Trained Class 1 Grade 1 Teacher’s Certificate,a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Sociology, Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theology, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education Administration and a Master’s in Education Management, Planning and Supervision.
Additionally, he holds a certificate in the Management and Delivery of Education in Guyana via the Ministry of Education’s first Teacher Cadet Scheme, a Certificate in Reforming School Supervision for Quality Improvement (IIEP) through UNESCO and a Certificate of Training in Project Management through the Government of Guyana and Caribbean Development Bank (CDB).
Meanwhile, questioned about the reasons surrounding the non-renewal of Sam’s contract, the minister explained that the decision was one aimed at ensuring the proper execution of the ministry’s policies. “It’s not a shift in policy; it’s a reinforcement of policy …. It’s just that we want to ensure that the CEO is in fact carrying out policy directions of the ministry. There were some areas where we had complaints from teachers and that kind of thing… they were credible enough for one to question whether or not this is the right person for the job,” Minister Roopnaraine explained.
Further, the minister said the continued presence of the former CEO at the Ministry of Education, despite previous announcements of his departure, is to allow him the full benefits of leave which would have accumulated over the years. In January 2011, Sam was appointed the CEO following the retirement of Mrs Genevieve White-Nedd, who had acted for more than five years without confirmation.