Schools to be given more control over their management – Pres Ali

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Tuesday announced that plans were afoot to ensure that schools had a greater say over their management, as a means to reduce the bureaucracy that currently exists within the education system.
The President was at the time speaking at the commissioning of the $200 million Victoria Lily Primary School in Tuschen, Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara).

“There is a system that is very centralised with too much bureaucracy and too many power brokers. For example, the schools must go through the regional system to get basic, essential things to manage the schools,” Ali said.
“In the education system, we are going to give more power to the schools and the administration and the Parent-Teachers’ Associations (PTAs). We are going to directly disburse to the schools, and then hold them accountable and let the PTA know what is disbursed to you,” Ali said.
This, he noted, will foster greater management capacity and leadership at a local level as well as more involvement of communities in the delivery of services.
“It is not only about building facilities, it is about ensuring that we have the proper management, the efficient management of the facilities,” Ali pointed out.
Education Minister Priya Manickchand noted that schools would be receiving the necessary supplies to ensure their upkeep while students will continue to benefit from the annual “Because We Care” cash grant and distribution of textbooks.
This is in addition to the implementation of the National Breakfast Programme at the Grade Six level and the Juice and Biscuit Snack programme at Grades One and Two, Manickchand explained.
Meanwhile, teachers will continue to receive free training in addition to their salary, as the Ministry moves to ensure all teachers across the country have the necessary qualifications to best perform their duties.
The newly-commissioned Victoria Lily Primary aims to address the overcrowding issues that the region has been challenged with for some time now, with the facility expected to accommodate 330 students. Efforts are also being made to build similar facilities throughout the region.