-mobile welfare units, expansion of schools on the cards

IN 2019, the University of Guyana (UG) will receive a subvention of $3.1 billion and according to Minister of Finance, Winston Jordan, a sum of $508 million is earmarked for upgrading of facilities at both the Turkeyen and Tain campuses.

The figures are part of a fraction of the $52.2B which has been set aside in the national budget for the education sector. A sum of $2.6 billion of the total allocation for UG will be expended on the university’s operational expenditure. “The university will also be undertaking the drafting of a strategic plan, which will incorporate plans to offer several new degrees, in the area of petroleum engineering,” Jordan said.

Other investments in 2019 include a sum of $5.4B which has been allocated for the construction, rehabilitation, extension and maintenance of educational facilities across the country.

The finance minister said that in 2019, government will continue to undertake further works on secondary schools including those at Westminster on the West Bank of Demerara, St. Roses in the city, Port Kaituma in the North West District, Wakapoa in the Pomeroon/Supenaam and Bladen Hall Multilateral on the East Coast of Demerara.

In addition, he said that nursery and primary schools including those at Chenapau and Mahdia in the Potaro/Siparuni Region, Diamond/Grove on the East Bank of Demerara, Bagotville on the West Bank of Demerara and White Water in the Mabaruma sub-region will benefit from improved physical conditions and additional classroom spaces for students.
He reported to the National Assembly that in 2018, the APNU+AFC administration continued to upgrade and expand educational facilities. He said that learning resource centres at Mabaruma in the North West District, Bartica in the Cuyuni/Mazaruni Region, Kato in the Potaro/Siparuni Region and Lethem in the Rupununi were outfitted with same.

Jordan also reported that the Ministry of Education began to expand experiential learning for students at all levels, through the distribution of math and literacy kits. He said that smart classrooms were introduced to improve learning and teaching by connecting students in hinterland and coastal locations, especially to support the delivery of content for specific lessons, and for teachers’ training.

He said smart classrooms in Waramadong in the Cuyuni/Mazaruni and Kato were completed while a comprehensive overhaul of the school curricula begun with the training of education professionals. “Considerable progress was made in enhancing the capacity of post-secondary technical vocational education training institutions to deliver competency-based education and training and to meet the standards which allow them to offer the Caribbean Vocational Qualification in a number of skill areas,” Jordan said.
The issue of bullying in schools is also being addressed by the government and earlier this month the first ever Mobile Psychosocial Unit was commissioned by the Ministry of Education.

In 2019, the government will continue to expend finances on similar projects. Minister Jordan told the National Assembly on Monday that in 2019, programmes geared at reducing bullying and violence as well as other social problems in schools will be expanded to ensure regular school attendance. He said two mobile welfare units will be introduced to expand access to a wider student population.

The school-aged population will continue to benefit from the school feeding programme across the country which Jordan noted, will be expanded in 2019 with an additional 9,545 students expected to benefit. “This programme has been shown to be pivotal to improving school attendance and enhancing learning in the absence of hunger,” the finance minister said.