THE new building for Haslington Nursery School in Region Four, on the East Coast of Demerara, was commissioned, on Friday, by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand. The new school was built at a cost of $28,129,000.

Delivering the feature address, Minister Manickchand encouraged the parents present that they need to play a greater role in the lives of their children so that their children can receive an education.

She urged the teachers to continue working with their children so that they can produce children who can read at their grade level. The Education Minister said that it will go a long way in setting the foundation for children to be successful as they move through the school system.

Further, Minister Manickchand said that the Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Education, will continue to support teachers and students. She spoke about the recently distributed school grants that can be used to purchase items to enhance the school and ensure its smooth functioning. The Haslington Nursery School currently has 60 children enrolled. This amounts to a total of $240,000 per term at $4000 per child.

Minister Manickchand told parents that even though the grants are given to support the work of the school, they should still play an active role in the life of the school through the Parent-Teachers Association. She said that the new school was more than a building. “In this building, children will attend school, and they will leave ready to help run this country, to help to run this world. So, it is far more than a building, but it must have begun with a building,” she noted.
The Education Minister said that the Government of Guyana is investing in children across Guyana and will continue to do so to produce the quality of citizens that can further develop and move Guyana forward.

The Assistant Chief Education Officer, Mr. Devendre Persaud, said that the new structure was in keeping with the Government’s commitment to enhance school structures across the country so that children can enjoy the best facilities to acquire an education.

He said, “I firmly believe that buildings, classrooms, laboratories, and equipment- educational infrastructure- are crucial elements of schools’ learning environments. There is strong evidence that high-quality infrastructure facilitates better instruction, improves student outcomes, and reduces dropout rates, among other benefits.” He said Nursery education is paramount in developing a well-rounded child.

Mr. Persaud applauded the Regional Administration and the Department of Education for Region Four for their excellent work to improve the quality of education infrastructure in the region.
Also, present at Friday’s commissioning was the Regional Education Officer, Mr. Adrian Elgin who said that he was honoured to witness the commissioning of the school. On behalf of the Regional Democratic Council and the Department of Education, he thanked the Ministry of Education and the Government of Guyana for ensuring the region and the community of Haslington received a brand-new nursery school.