— says Manickchand, underscores importance of vaccination in restarting physical learning

DURING the first day of the June 2021 mock examinations for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), some 2,600 pupils were missing. This confirmation was given by Education Minister, Priya Manickchand who underscored the need for children to return to the physical classrooms as early as possible.
“We are personally, individual by individual, tracking them down to bring them back into the school system,” Manickchand told a virtual news conference on Tuesday.
Responding to questions relating to the planned reopening of physical learning in September, Manickchand said that this remains a mere intention, but a policy decision is yet to be taken on the issue.
Manickchand said that even if schools are not reopened to physical learning, virtual classes will commence from September 6, when the new school year begins. The minister said that even though the emergence of the coronavirus resulted in the closure of schools in March 2021, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic Government has embarked aggressively on securing enough vaccines to immunise the entire adult population, thereby achieving herd immunity and making it safe for children to return to their schools.
“We could stop the spread if we wanted to,” Minister Manickchand said, as she pointed to the hesitance and low uptake of the vaccines in certain areas. She emphasised that parents need to see themselves as a shield, protecting their children against the deadly virus.

Manickchand also pointed to the responsibility that Guyanese adults have in creating a safe space for children to learn and grow. “All the reports around the world… anyone who has studied this, [would report] that the longer you stay out of school, the more likely you are to suffer from learning loss… and the more likely they are to suffer from premature school leaving, that is drop out; the phenomenon of dropout,” minister Manickchand said.
She also highlighted the mandatory vaccination measures being put in place by other countries, making specific reference to China, where children cannot attend schools if their parents are not vaccinated. “I have personally taken both doses [of the vaccines]. Everybody I love have taken the vaccine,” Manickchand shared.