THE Ministry of Education has identified several schools that will receive additional support under its literacy intervention programme following the completion of the National Grades Two and Four Reading Assessments, Education Minister Sonia Parag has announced.
Speaking on the sidelines of an event on Wednesday, Minister Parag said the results of the nationwide assessments were not as concerning as initially anticipated, although the Ministry has pinpointed specific schools where targeted interventions will be necessary to improve literacy outcomes.
“The whole point of having a Grade Two assessment is that it’s a diagnostic tool, and it’s to enable us to understand what stage a child is at in terms of their reading and comprehension,” the minister explained. She added that the ultimate objective is to ensure that by Grade Four, pupils possess the reading and comprehension skills necessary to transition successfully to secondary education.
The National Grades Two and Four Reading Assessments, administered by the Ministry’s Literacy Department at the beginning of June, were designed to provide educators and policymakers with a clearer understanding of pupils’ literacy development across the country.
According to the Ministry, the assessments are intended to identify learners requiring additional support while providing data to guide targeted literacy interventions at the national, regional and school levels.
Officials noted that the assessments were conducted as group-based classroom exercises under standardised conditions to ensure fairness, consistency and the collection of reliable national data.
For Grade Two pupils, examiners read the assessment material aloud while pupils listened and selected their answers in provided booklets. Grade Four pupils, meanwhile, completed a combination of examiner-guided tasks and independent reading exercises that included both multiple-choice and written-response questions.
Minister Parag said the assessments serve as an important diagnostic tool that allows educators to determine pupils’ reading and comprehension levels at critical stages of their academic development.
She expressed optimism that improvements in literacy and comprehension at the primary level would translate into stronger academic performance as learners advance through the education system.
The assessments form part of the Ministry of Education’s broader literacy strategy, which emphasises evidence-based planning and targeted interventions aimed at improving educational outcomes nationwide.
During the launch of literacy resources in August last year, education officials highlighted the importance of structured literacy programmes, enhanced teacher training and improved learning environments in advancing the government’s objective of ensuring that every child in Guyana becomes a confident and proficient reader.
The Ministry has maintained that sustained investment in literacy development remains critical to improving educational quality and expanding opportunities for learners across the country.