–Education Minister affirms; says more than 13 per cent of Budget 2024 is allocated to Education Sector

–99 per cent of teachers trained or are in training right now; 1,900 educators to be trained this year

–7,000 seats were needed for secondary children when the PPP/C demitted office in 2015, and 7,000 were still needed when they returned to office in 2020

EDUCATION Minister Priya Manickchand on Monday reminded the National Assembly how the education sector’s growth was stunted under the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) administration, and informed the House how teachers and children are now able to reach new heights under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government.

During the first day of Budget Debates, the minister decided to set the record straight and not allow Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Coretta McDonald to paint a different picture of the actual reality within the education sector.

“…We’re unapologetic about providing education for every child in this country, whether they are from primary, secondary, or nursery levels, and whether they reside in the deep hinterland, coastland, or Georgetown; whether they are from an APNU stronghold, if any remain, or a PPP/C stronghold, every child in this country will have access to education under the PPP/C government,” the minister remarked.

Despite attempts by the Opposition Parliamentarian to paint the massive investments made by the PPP/C government in a negative light, Minister Manickchand said that education is critical for future development of not only citizens but also the country.

While defending the $135.2 billion that has been set aside in Budget 2024 to advance the government’s vision of having a world-class education system in Guyana, Manickchand disclosed that Guyana has allocated, on average, more than 13 per cent of the budget towards this objective.

This is a massive percentage, according to the minister, since countries within the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) only allocate about 10 per cent of their budget to education.

“That is investment in our people… and we have seen repeatedly how that investment benefits the people of this country,” she said, adding that Guyana is now in a better position for growth and development.

As she turned her attention to teachers, the minister reminded McDonald that in her capacity as the General Secretary of the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU), during 2018, she lauded the PPP/C’s investments in the nation’s educators.

Highlighting how much the percentage of trained teachers has grown since 1992, Manickchand said that Guyana is now seeing 99 per cent of its teachers trained or currently undergoing training.

“…From about 33 per cent of our teachers being trained [prior to] 1992 to now 99 per cent of our teachers trained or in training. Those are the numbers; those are the facts,” Minister Manickchand said.

She also said that in 2023, 1,796 teachers graduated from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).
This is the largest number of teachers ever trained in the history of Guyana, Minister Manickchand said while explaining that previously, the capacity for training was around 535 teachers at once.

She boasted: “We almost quadruple that amount, which means you will have a better quality, as well as more teachers in the classroom.”

From 2020 to 2023, 3,198 teachers were trained, and in 2024 1,900 will be trained. And for 2025, the number will be 1,500.

Not forgetting the hinterland, in 2019, there were only 31 teachers from the Regions One (Barima-Waini), Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) and Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo). However, under the PPP/C, there are 1,011 undergoing training, Manickchand remarked.

While reflecting on the array of benefits that teachers are now reaping, the minister said: “We give each teacher who is being trained in the Teacher Training College a full salary of $90,000; the APNU gave $10,000 to those teachers.

“…We’ve [changed] the number of years where a teacher could now become senior from seven years to six years; we’ve added more senior vacancies across all schools so more teachers can become senior. We’ve reduced the records that teachers are required to keep; we’re paying $10,000 for each teacher with a degree…”

Notably, these are just a few of the new benefits that the nation’s educators could now attain.

CHILDREN

Despite attempts by McDonald to condemn the government for constructing new schools, and attempting to put forth a solid argument that there are sufficient facilities, the Education Minister proved otherwise and disclosed that there were thousands of children who did not have access to education under the previous administration.

“When I left office in 2015, we needed 7,000 seats for secondary children…When I came back to office in 2020, we needed 7,000 seats, because the APNU+AFC failed, neglected and refused to build a single secondary school in this country,” she boldly remarked.

Additionally, upon assuming office, within the last three years, the Education Minister said that they have provided 4,575 seats to children.

She related that they are going to be finishing the Hosororo Secondary School for 700 children.
Manickchand said: “662 children did not have access in this area to secondary education… That’s what you left and you couldn’t care less.”

She then went on to say: “In the Northwest Secondary, we’re going to finish that school this year. It’s going to cater to 850 children. Kwebanna Secondary, way up in Region One …In that area, 500 children from the Moruca catchment….”

She also said that $28.7 billion was allocated towards construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of school buildings.
Additionally, not allowing the blatant misconception of GOAL to be perpetuated, Manickchand educated McDonald on the difference and benefits of that programme when compared to Coursera.

“Coursera is different from GOAL; GOAL is different from the University of Guyana. It’s important that we understand what they are. Coursera is a series of short courses offered to the people to upskill or reskill through various hundreds of universities; renowned universities like Harvard and MIT and Princeton and Oxford and Cambridge, those are the Coursera courses,” she said, adding: “And when Guyana offered Coursera in 2020, Mr. Speaker, you know, was painful. The Commonwealth of Learning was begging the APNU+AFC to offer Coursera in 2020, in March, they didn’t.”