MoE Priority Programme receives golf equipment to boost PE initiative
Golf – arguably the fastest-growing sport in the country under the umbrella of the Ministry of Education (MoE) Unit of Allied Arts Priority Programme, the Guyana Golf Association (GGA) and Nexgen Golf Academy –received a boost on Friday, with a sizable donation of equipment from Germany courtesy of the Course Manager from Ramstein Airbase Golf Course; Duane, Ola, Harry, Zoe, and David Obermulller; Steven Griffith and Tony Gideon.
GGA President Aleem Hussain and Vice President Philip Haynes presented the equipment on behalf of the Obermueller family to Head of the Priority Programme, Saeed Zameen, who commented, “This comes at the opportune moment as we have partnered with Nexgen Golf Academy, under the directive of Minister Priya Manickchand to commence implementation of golf as a PE subject in the first 10 of a projected 44 secondary schools as a part of the Ministry’s push for every learner to experience a sport during their formative years.
A look at the presentation of equipment
“Minister Manickchand has made it clear that it is her vision and that of the Ministry to provide every learner with the access and facilities to engage in a sport as early as possible and this programme is certainly making that vision a reality.
“The Ministry of Education Unit of Allied Arts has been extremely supportive of the golf programme evidenced by the fact that we now have arguably, the largest school programme for golf in the entire Region, and with our numbers at CSEC growing to exceed 1000 students in 2024, Guyana will again lead the Region in golf as a PE elective,” said Hussain, who is the driving force behind the programme.
With the Ministry’s plan to expand the in-school PE programme to include Regions Two, Three, Five and Six in the coming months, it is expected that more than 16,000 learners would benefit from golf instruction through the partnership with Nexgen Golf Academy and the Priority Programme.
The modified teaching programme, developed by Master Coach Hussain, has seen phenomenal results at CSEC with an over 90 per cent Grade One pass rate, an incredible statistic considering that none of the students had access to a golf course to practise. This is set to change with the opening of the Westside Golf Course, which is a model for innovative golf and designed for beginners.
