The Education Ministry will begin a series of public consultations commencing this Friday, as it gears itself for the start of the much-anticipated Commission of Inquiry into the education sector.
According to a public announcement in the local dailies, members of the public have been invited to participate in public consultations between the Education Ministry and teachers, parents, school Boards and unions. This event will take place on April 22 at the St Stanislaus College at 16:00h. On April 29, the Ministry will meet with the business sector in the auditorium of the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) and members of the public on May 4 at the St Stanislaus College.
In its effort to review the Education Sector Strategic Plan, the Ministry said it would be conducting the CoI.
The Inquiry is intended to provide evidential bases for the revision, upgrading and extension of the Plan.
The Ministry has, therefore, extended an invitation to the public to submit memoranda on their perceptions of the state of the system, inclusive of factual illustrations where possible, and recommendations for the enhancement of the system.
Memoranda, it said, should be submitted to the CoI Secretariat no later than May 14.
Education Minister, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine said the CoI was essential since it would analyse the problems encountered within the school system. This, he said, will also allow the Ministry to use the information obtained through consultations with parents, students and teachers to formulate plans to deal with the problems.
According to him, the Ministry has had a number of ideas to reform the sector, but they could not be implemented until data has shown what each region/school recommends to further build and enhance the manner in which education is delivered to students across Guyana. Additionally, the Minister disclosed that an audit had commenced since the beginning of his appointment.
This audit had revealed a number of physical and administrative “glitches” within the system.
In October of 2015, Dr Roopnaraine had stated that there had been a delay in the commencement of the Inquiry since the Ministry was still in the process of appointing persons to head the probe.
He had intended to have nine persons be Commissioners, but at that time there had only been five confirmed persons, and he was in the course of contacting and confirming four other persons.
However, these four persons were never confirmed and as such, the setting up of the CoI lagged.
Persons who are desirous of supplementing their memoranda with oral presentations to the Commission may indicate in their submission the desire to do so.
Additionally, persons who are desirous of making oral submissions without submitting memoranda may also write to the Commission, no later than April 30, 2016, expressing the desire to do so.
