–says gov’t implemented plethora of initiatives to improve results
MINISTER of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Friday blasted leader of the Alliance For Change (AFC) Nigel Hughes for his comments regarding the implementation of new initiatives in the education sector.
Hughes told his news conference on Friday that no new initiatives were introduced in education and to him, the results at the recent National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) were unbelievable.
Hitting back, Manickchand in a post on her Facebook page, noted that several new initiatives were introduced by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administration to curb learning loss brought on by COVID-19 and improve students’ performance.

She stated: “We gave to each child all the textbooks they needed, ALL. We consolidated the curriculum. We did videos of each lesson needed from grades one to six, we expanded the learning channel so 97 percent of the hinterland children now have access to said videos that they didn’t have before.”
In addition to this, she indicated that all resources were put on line, including quiz questions, so that children could have practice questions and receive grades right away.
Further, students received a collection of past papers for practice purposes, even as over 9,000 new teachers were trained mostly in the primary general field.
Also, she stated that the ministry did concise notes for various subjects, thereby giving each child, teacher and parent access to information they should have to be prepared for the assessment.
Referring to Hughes’ remarks as blatant lies, Manickchand said: “To all the parents, children and teachers who he has insulted and discredited by claiming he doesn’t believe you did well, I apologise on his behalf.”
Against this backdrop, she said to Hughes directly to stop ‘fooling around’ with children’s education.
Manickchand said that he had not a word to say when his party completely neglected to start and finish a single secondary school anywhere in the country, and had nothing to say when his party attempted to hijack the country through rigged elections.
Further, she said he had nothing to say when his party failed to start even one smart classroom, and nothing to say when not a single lesson was taught for the five months during the COVID closure under their watch.
She added: “You have zero plan that isn’t stolen from others about how you will run the country or education. Why is it so hard to simply say “congratulations, job well done?”
“For these folks in the decrepit AFC, unless they can grab and pocket something from what they say or do, they won’t say or do anything.”