AS efforts continue to increase access to education in Guyana, complementary efforts are being made to provide support to those students who are most vulnerable. For this reason, the Government-sponsored ‘hot meal’ programme was introduced in schools across Guyana years ago.
This year, the Ministry of Finance in its 2017 Mid-year Report revealed that 22,475 students from 165 schools in the hinterland benefited from the programme. It is expected that an additional 2,616 students from 47 nursery and primary schools in the hinterland will also benefit from this initiative.
The report was tabled in the National Assembly on Friday by Finance Minister Winston Jordan.

This is in addition to the breakfast initiative which was introduced by President David Granger. That programme is on-going in 36 schools on the coastland, and expansion is expected to continue in the second half of this year. The breakfast programme forms part of a ‘Five B’ initiative which specifically targets children who are vulnerable. The other Bs include: boats, bicycles, buses and books.
In addition to that initiative, 380 teachers are expected to complete training in the second half of 2017, down from the original target of 600. The report stated that the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), in enforcing graduation standards, saw 133 trainee teachers withdrawing. Also, an additional 200 trainee teachers had to repeat courses across semesters, delaying their graduation.

Also planned for this year is the completion of two nursery schools at Yurong Paru and Hiowa in Region nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo).
The Ministry has since said that while construction of Hiowa Nursery has commenced, the Yurong Paru Nursery is currently awaiting the approval of the National Procurement and Tender Administration Board (NPTAB).
Meanwhile, in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice), Bamia Nursery is slated for completion in 2017 while the design of Bamia Primary School has been revised with a view to construct a Grade “B” school instead of a lower grade.
The report highlighted that it is now anticipated that the nursery school will be ready for occupation in January of 2018, while the primary school will be completed in time for occupation in September of 2018.
These projects were embarked upon after it was realized that there was an overcrowding situation in some schools in those regions.
Further, the report noted that at the level of early childhood development (ECD), steps have been taken to strengthen national system, to prepare children for a productive learning life.

Some initiatives which were undertaken in the first half include: training 412 teachers in the application of nursery literacy and numeracy standards; conducting parent sensitization with over 500 parents; and training 31 new nursery field officers.
The report further stated that over 500 East Coast Demerara (ECD) resource kits were provided to nursery and primary schools across the country. In addition, nursery diagnostic assessments (NDAs) are being conducted to assess the effectiveness of early childhood education, and are, according to the Education Ministry, anticipated to be a tool that continuously guides government interventions.
It was highlighted too that investments in Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will continue with targeted interventions. There interventions include the development of a TVET financing strategy and a TVET communication strategy, and continued improvements and maintenance of related equipment and infrastructure.