Guyana closer to achieving world-class education – Education Minister

…new Math, Social Studies textbooks launched

Guyana is one step closer to achieving ‘world-class education’, which will see Guyanese students excelling at the regional level. This has been expressed by Education Minister Priya Manickchand during the launching of the MoE’s new primary textbook series, “Mathematics made Easy” and Social Studies text “Guyanese in the World”, at the Round House in Kingston, Georgetown.

Structured to cater to the call to create culturally relevant materials, the textbooks cater to students from grades One to Three and grades One to Four respectively. Both series have been crafted under the renewed curriculum in an effort to modernise the education sector, and also include global needs and trends. As a result, the content of each book is relevant and is linked to Guyana’s local context, enhancing its effectiveness in the classroom.
During her address to those gathered at Round House, Stembiso Grant, the Assistant Chief Education Officer for Literacy, disclosed that the textbooks have been structured with worksheets for learners to complete exercises after each lesson.

“These books were created in sync with a vision of the Government of Guyana to invest in education continuously and intentionally. The books were structured to cater to the call to create culturally relevant materials and the call to continuously modernise and strengthen the education system to provide world-class education,” Grant said. Grant added that the books are teacher-friendly, with clear terms and attractive illustrations.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Priya Manickchand has posited that ensuing that learners have access to the educational materials and teachers have access to learning tools is a crucial aspect of achieving ‘world- class education’. She emphasised that with each resource made available in classrooms for students, there will be more accountability placed on teachers and parents to ensure that students are actively utilising them.
“When we give better exercise books, more exercise books, we’re supporting teachers and parents, so that children can do better. When we give all our children all of the text books they need, we are again supporting teachers and students, so that the students can do better”, she explained. “We want to make sure not one single child is left behind because of geography, or ethnicity, or education level of your parents; and that’s a big undertaking.”

Students of the Montrose Primary School and the Academy of Excellence where the first to receive copies of the textbooks, and distribution to primary schools across the country would commence soon.
The Education Ministry is working to complete the science text book and the remainder of the series by May. (G1)