A brand-new nursery school has opened its doors in Dagg Point, Bartica, bringing quality early childhood education closer to home for dozens of young learners.
The Little Achievers Nursery School in Dagg Point, Bartica, Region Seven, was officially commissioned on Wednesday by Minister of Education Priya Manickchand. The facility will provide a safe and friendly learning environment for the children of the community. It boasts indoor and outdoor play areas and colourful teaching aids to create an atmosphere conducive to learning.
While speaking at the launch, the Education Minister emphasised that the school was established to enhance access to early childhood education in the community, thereby reducing the need for young children to travel long distances to attend school.
Minister Manickchand engages with students at the school
“We’re not only concerned with the physical aspect of your children’s education. This school currently has 65 children and five teachers. That’s about 13 children per teacher, while the national standard is 20 students per teacher,” the Minister explained. She added that this means that they are already a step ahead of other schools, because fewer children per teacher allow for better attention and care. She also revealed that two of the school’s teachers are trained, and the other three are currently undergoing training.
Minister Manickchand also reiterated that the school will operate under the newly revised nursery curriculum, which moves away from traditional book-based learning. Instead, it focuses on hands-on, physically engaging activities that help young learners meet key developmental benchmarks.
“Your children will now be learning in a new way—less through books and more through physical, interactive activities. This approach supports their development in literacy, numeracy, and other essential skills that will prepare them for primary school. It’s truly exciting to see this come to life,” she said.
She also noted that Government initiatives are in place to ensure that schools have the necessary resources, stating that they have given teachers resource grants so they no longer have to ask parents for items like Dettol, bleach, soap, or Play-Doh.
One of the students interacts with a teaching aid at the newly commissioned school
She said too that the funds are now sent directly to the schools, allowing them to make those purchases.
The Minister also noted that the Ministry of Education had recorded an increase in the pass rate for the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), rising from 49 per cent to 64 per cent. This, he suggested, reflects broader improvements in the education sector resulting from comprehensive investments.
“For us, it’s about improving access by building schools, enhancing the quality of education, and supporting families—through the Because We Care cash grant, school breakfasts, free textbooks, and now the teachers’ resource grant,” she said.
“That’s what we’re striving to achieve, and I believe we’ve done a great job showing that when we make promises, we deliver. So, this morning, it gives me great pleasure to officially commission the Little Achievers Nursery School here at Dagg Point, Bartica,” she concluded.
