Educational quality gap between hinterland and coastland increased – UNICEF

Study on Indigenous Women and Children

Goal Four of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) speaks to achieving inclusive and equitable quality education by 2030, and Guyana has a long way to go in achieving that.

The recent study done on Indigenous women and children by UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples Affairs (MoIPA), shows that both the quality of education and the gap between the coast and hinterland have increased over the years.
“Guaranteeing good quality education in primary and secondary schools for the Indigenous children is one of the main challenges related to education in the country,” the report read in part.
The lack of qualify education for adolescents and children is mainly attributed to the lack of qualified teachers and resources, poor infrastructure at schools, language barriers, and a curriculum too centered. In addition to the poor quality of education, delivered in the hinterland, there are high school dropout rates.
The study found that for every 100 Indigenous boys and girls enrolled in secondary school, only 53 would complete. Indigenous children would drop out when they are about to enter secondary school, or during their early secondary education stage.
Lack of schools — mainly secondary schools — in the hinterland, and difficulty of accessing them; financial situation of families influencing some adolescents to prematurely start working in low-skill jobs; perception that education is not necessary; the inadequacy of the curriculum; lack of employment opportunities, and teenage pregnancies are all reasons listed as factors for hinterland children dropping out of school.
The study was conducted in Barima-Waini (Region One), Cuyuni-Mazaruni (Region Seven), Potaro-Siparuni (Region Eight), Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo (Region Nine) and Indigenous communities in coastal communities in Region Two (Akawini), Region Three (Santa Mission), Region Four (the former St Cuthbert’s Mission, Pakuri Village), Region Five (Moraikobai), Region Six (Orealla and Siparuta), and Region 10 (River View).
The aim of the study was to contribute to a greater understanding of Indigenous women and children regarding cultural/traditional practices relative to medicines; sexual and reproductive health issues; build or strengthen the resilience of children, families, communities and systems to natural disasters; conflicts; chronic systemic crises; and social conflicts.
Additionally, it sought to examine decision-making processes on health and protection issues; strengthen the provision of equitable prevention and response to different forms of child violence, including gender-based violence; inform the development of a robust, sustained, early childhood development; and equitable and inclusive education programmes for Amerindian children.
It also sought to explore women’s leadership skills and their capacity-building needs at the community level; explore livelihood and empowerment opportunities; provide evidence for national and sub-national planning and developmental processes; contribute to an enabling environment for Indigenous women and children; and determine the knowledge, perceptions and roles that were played by Indigenous peoples in the preservation of the environment and climate change; and what are their current roles.