…donates computers to schools, books to community library

EDUCATION Minister Nicolette Henry visited the logging community of Ituni in Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice) on Friday, and pledged to address issues affecting residents.

Minister Henry met with the teachers, students, parents and other residents of Ituni at the Howell Wilson Primary School. From the outset, the residents said they were satisfied with the visit by the high-level education official, and used the platform to lobby for a secondary department and a school bus.

Curth Murphy, a resident, sought the Education Minister’s intervention for the establishment of a secondary department at the primary school. Murphy said that he believes this will assist the community tangibly with a view to addressing the dropout rate in the community.

Additionally, the head teacher of the primary school, Yvonne Nazier, made representation for a school bus for the community. She explained that upon completion of their primary education, most parents are left with little choice but to have their children housed in hotels or at family and friends in an effort to attend secondary school, either in Linden or Kwakwani.

The head teacher posited that while the move might be necessary, it prevents parents from bonding with their children and reduces monitoring of teenagers at an age when parental supervision is critical. Another matter for which the residents sought to solicit the minister’s intervention is for the acquisition of additional trained teachers for the schools in the community.

In response, Minister Henry assured the residents that all their concerns will be addressed, noting that discussions with the technical officers would soon be held to explore the possibility of having a technical and vocational facility in that community to train the youths of the community.

Further, she also assured residents that the request for the school bus will be addressed at the level of the central ministry and also at the regional level.

On the issue of trained teachers, the Education Minister explained that the process “takes time”; however, she called on the head teacher to recommend teachers for training.
Some residents raised concerns relating to logging in the community, since this is their main source of income. There was also a request for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training for community members.

It was at this juncture that Minister Henry amplified the importance of ICT in the delivery of education. She said that as a nation, Guyana can no longer embrace the “talk-and-chalk” method only, but be cognisant of modern methodology and thinking with regard to teaching in the 21st century and the education system should cater for this. Additionally, Minister Henry informed the residents that her ministry is currently in the process of reforming the school curriculum, something that was not done for more than three decades. Notwithstanding the cost for such an undertaking, Minister Henry believes that this is necessary, since the nation’s children cannot be taught from an outdated curriculum in this modern age.

Moreover, to loud applause, the Education Minister informed the residents that very shortly her ministry will be introducing robotics to all primary schools, making the country the only one in the Caribbean to do so. The Education Minister said that she will visit the community in the future to gauge if there are changes that were made.

Minister Henry also handed over a computer each with the accompanying accessories to the Ituni Nursery School and the Howell Wilson Primary School. Additionally, she donated a supply of books to the Community Library.