In keeping with the promotion of accessible education for all students during the coronavirus pandemic, Amerindian Affairs Minister, Pauline Sukhai over the weekend delivered a quantity of academic materials on behalf of the Education Ministry to Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni).
Minister Pauline Sukhai handing over education supplies to a teacher of El Paso/Tumatumari Primary School
The materials were delivered to Mahdia and surrounding villages, El Paso/Tumatumari and Micobie for the Christmas school term. Through collaboration with the Education Ministry, the aim was to enable learning for students in the hinterland, who do not have access to the internet or the Guyana Learning Channel.
At a small community engagement in El Paso/Tumatumari, Minister Sukhai explained that education delivery has been severely affected, especially in those far-flung areas, and therefore, the Government has ensured that the hinterland areas are provided with learning materials to ensure students move forward with their academics.
Residents of El Paso/Tumatumari meeting with Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai where a number of issues within the community were discussed
“We want the children [to] get back to doing some level of school work because by the time school is reopened we don’t want to go back from the start so we have to keep the children occupied…The teachers can also look at different means of engaging the students, you can get them under the biggest tree and help them while practicing social distancing,” Minister Sukhai urged.
She reiterated that the Government has increased the Cash Grant, which was discontinued under the previous Administration. Increasing from $10,000 to $15,000, all parents with school-aged children will benefit from the initiative.
Over at Micobie, the Village Council was informed of programmes which are in store for the Indigenous peoples in the emergency budget for the remainder of the 2020 fiscal year. One of the major initiatives is the reinstatement of the Community Support Officers (CSO) programme that will target 40 villages including Micobie, in the initial stages.
Pegged at over $60 million, the initiative is aimed at developing young Amerindians in the various villages and communities through the creation of job opportunities and building capacity and strengthening their individual interests and skills.
Additionally, the $800 million Amerindian Development Fund (ADF) will also see communities receiving funds to execute sustainable development projects aimed at creating job opportunities and enhancing village economies. The ITC Hub programme has also been restored and Micobie village, which already has a building, will benefit from some $1 million to refurbish and furnish the hub. Some 25,000 solar units will also be procured for the hinterland.
Other measures covered in Budget 2020 that will support Amerindian development include the removal of VAT on hinterland travel, the new ferry for North – West, the $25,000 for old-age pension, the $1.5 billion for hinterland, urban and rural roads and the $25,000 per Household for COVID-19 Relief.
“We are just two months in office and our task is to ensure that the commitments made to the people of this nation are fulfilled. In three months, we would not be able to do all that we have promised the nation. However, the immediate move is to address the issue of the COVID-19 pandemic which has affected the livelihood of the people…next year, the other areas that were promised and need to be addressed will be addressed,” Sukhai assured. (G12)
