Samuel Gillis
The Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, has underscored the government’s ongoing efforts to ensure holistic development for teachers across Guyana, while raising concerns about the significant rate of teacher absenteeism.
Speaking at the Guyana Dialogue, Minister Manickchand pointed out that approximately 30 percent of teachers are not present on the job daily, which she warned could result in substantial learning losses with long-term negative impacts on students’ education.
Minister Manickchand highlighted that Guyana has witnessed steady growth in its education system, attributing this progress to substantial investments.
She noted that the country employs around 14,000 teachers, with all of them either fully trained or currently undergoing training.
Additionally, Guyana has achieved universal primary education, in line with United Nations standards.
Despite these advancements, the minister emphasized the need for a conversation on ensuring that educational outcomes match the level of investment.
She called for increased accountability within the education sector, suggesting that underperforming teachers should either undergo mandatory retraining or face termination, similar to standards in other professional fields.
To enhance the effectiveness of the education system, Minister Manickchand stressed the importance of robust monitoring and evaluation processes.
She acknowledged that some teachers’ poor performance contributes to unsatisfactory student results.
The minister advocated for individual school management to thoroughly evaluate whether students meet the necessary benchmarks before promoting them to the next grade level.
This approach, she suggested, should become a standard practice within the system.
Furthermore, Minister Manickchand highlighted the necessity of monitoring both public and private schools to ensure the implementation of effective educational strategies.
She pointed out that the global focus on education has shifted from merely providing access to education, to ensuring the efficacy of the system, with the ultimate goal of producing competitive and productive adults.