ACTING Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson on Tuesday said that nursery education is not static but is dynamic and solicits support for its development.He made the disclosure while making remarks at the Ministry of Education on Tuesday launching of the Guyana Nursery Education Programme’s 40th anniversary at the Roxanne Burnham

Nursery School with the theme” Investing in Quality Nursery Education for successful lifelong learning.”

He outlined the importance of nursery education which he described as vital for development of children in preparation for primary education.

Hutson related that they must make the delivery of nursery education fun-filled and at the same time be creative, innovative and child-friendly.

He told the gathering that nursery school was the first exercise where children were separated from the comfort of their parents and in this regard it should be a place that is comfortable and secure.

The senior education officer said children in nursery school build self-esteem and start to communicate with other pupils and teachers and with this in mind it should be the foundation for life-long progress.

Hutson reiterated the need for nursery schools to be a place where children can build self-confidence and be the basic foundation in language for higher education since nursery school facilitates the transition to primary school.

He highlighted the importance of learning while at nursery age and encouraged teachers to treat children kindly and to teach children in small portions.

Hutson urged teachers to be quiet-speaking to nursery school children and to engage them in various educational activities through a colourful classroom and to incorporate pre-reading while maintaining a clean and tidy environment.

He however, admitted that they had a lot of ground to cover in the delivery of nursery education in Guyana to impact the lives of the little ones which can be achieved by the pooling of resources, skills, knowledge and assistance from stakeholders.

Meanwhile, giving an overview of 40 years of nursery education in Guyana, Assistant Chief Education Officer Mrs. Ingrid Trotman said 40 years ago on September 13, 1976 the then government launched the nursery education programme.

She recalled that before that nursery schools were privately-owned and were referred to as “bottom house kindergarten” and at the start of this programme by the Ministry of Education there was an enrollment of about 19,000 pupils in 380 nursery schools.

Mrs. Trotman disclosed that to date on the 40th anniversary there are about 26,500 children enrolled in 332 district schools and 142 nursery classes in Guyana managed by about 1,700 nursery teachers.

She stated that of the 1,700 nursery teachers there were three males.

At the end of 2016 a model nursery school will be constructed in Mocha Arcadia, she said.

Mrs. Trotman said the two-year nursery education programme should be made compulsory in our present nursery education sector strategic plan.

Also making remarks was Liza Joseph-Rhyce, head teacher of Roxanne Burnham Nursery school, Quenita Waldrond and Lavern Cameron, District Education Officer Nursery.

Education month is celebrated from September 1 to October 5, 2016 under the theme; “Each Child Matters: Stakeholders Unite for the Enhancement of Education.”