EDUCATION Minister Nicolette Henry delivered on her promise to the Port Mourant and the Skeldon High secondary schools when she officially handed over two sets of steel pans to them on Thursday.

The minister, in brief remarks at Port Mourant Secondary, reiterated that education continues to be a priority for the Coalition government, and pledged continued support to develop the education sector.

“No matter where you are from in Guyana, you are important, and so we know that education must be delivered in a holistic way, and that is why we are undergoing curriculum reform,” she said. The last curriculum reform was held in 1976.

According to Minister Henry, students, when exposed to a wide range of activities, are in a much better position to realise their full potential, and it is for this reason that the government has been working tirelessly to provide each student across Guyana with equal opportunities as those in the capital city.

Education will be one of the main areas of focus of the government as Guyana embarks on its ‘Decade of Development’ programme.

“We are working assiduously to ensure that every child in this country reaches his or her full potential, and we recognise that there are diverse career paths, and people will choose different things, based on attitude/skillset, or based on what they were created to be,” Minister Henry said, adding: “And we want to ensure that each and every one of you get that opportunity. So we have to provide the support; we have to give you a wide range of opportunities, not only mainstream academics and pedagogical areas, but also in extra-curricular activities.”

Meanwhile, Mark Lyte, headmaster of Port Mourant Secondary said the school was the first in East Berbice, Corentyne to offer music as part of its curriculum. The subject was offered Grades Seven and Eight students.

With the donation on Thursday, he is excited that the school could now offer the subject at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), thanks to Minister Henry and her ministry.

“Today, the support has been provided, and I believe that going forward, we will go and ensure that coming out of East Berbice, we have competent musicians who are going to transform that competence into their learning, and aid in learning and development in this part of our country,” Lyte said.