MoE gets US$6.5M grant to strengthen instructional leadership

A contribution by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE): of US$6.5 million for the System Capacity Grant (SCG), will now enable the Education Ministry to achieve quality learning in Guyana by strengthening instructional leadership at the district and school levels.
One main focus of this initiative is to promote equitable learning by strengthening culturally responsive and effective instructional leadership and improved accountability.
UNESCO has been identified as the Grant Agent, and the UNESCO International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) has been identified as the institution which collaborated with the Ministry of Education to provide extensive technical expertise in education planning and management.

Senior Education Specialist of GPE, Talia Miranda, shared that this partnership compact will assist Guyana in implementing its game plan for quality education at a critical time in the country’s history. She added that the GPE is pleased to make such a large contribution to support the Ministry’s efforts.
“The partnership also identifies how the different national and international stakeholders will support this reform. The Global Partnership for Education is pleased to contribute six and a half million US dollars towards the effort through our two grants: the System’s Transformation grant and the System’s Capacity grant. We also hope to leverage an additional US$5 million if we’re able to mobilize additional external financing through our Multiplier grant,” she shared.
She further highlighted that the compact seeks to remove any barriers and provide necessary conditions and support, so that schools can better use the resources that they receive and transform those into learning for all students.
Other development partners, such as the International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), also expressed appreciation for their part in this programme.
Deputy Representative of UNICEF for Guyana and Suriname, Irfan Akhtar, shared that since the organization established its office in Guyana, the Education Ministry has been one of its important partners. He added that this system would greatly benefit the country’s education, and aid in children’s learning loss.
“We hope to also focus on learning loss… Learning loss has a lifelong impact, so we need to put our strategies for the recovery of learning for children, because those children who do not have access to learning opportunities during pandemic time…are [on] the verge of being put out (of) the education system. It’s important that we bring them back…those who have not been…exposed to learning platforms, either online or offline…we must ensure that they are back to school,” Akhtar related.
President of the Guyana Teachers Union, Mark Lyte, shared that this project would take the education system in Guyana to the next level, and improve learning for all children. He added that the GTU is ready to support and collaborate with the Ministry.
“The Guyana Teachers Union fully supports the work and the trajectory in which education is moving in Guyana. We believe that the transformation of the sector begins with equipping our educational leaders. We recognize that our school leaders needed to enhance their skill technologically… with the changing times. The transformation process that will commence through the implementation of the plan will see Guyana moving in a direction to ensure that our children benefit for the rest of their lives, so that they can change the modalities that are seen around the world.”