MP criticises Govt over millions spent on education CoI

Budget 2018 debate

Government was heavily criticised during day three of the Budget 2018 debate for spending millions on a Commission of Inquiry (CoI) into the education sector.
Speaking specifically about the education sector, Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Africo Selman, a former member of the main partner in the

Government, on Wednesday said it was a waste of taxpayers’ dollars.
While agreeing with the need for reform and innovation across all levels of education delivery as stated by Finance Minister Winston Jordan during his budget presentation, Selman said this must be done in a way that the most vulnerable groups of children – those living in the far-flung areas – benefit.
The Opposition MP noted that the final report has not yet been submitted. “This, I dare say, is deception. Millions of taxpayers’ dollars were spent on this inquiry held in 2016; we are at the end of 2017 and yet the final report is missing in action and a single man is $4.8 million richer. Where are we heading?”
Selman told the National Assembly that this wasted money could have been better utilised and some of that total sum could have been pumped into improving Guyana’s premier teacher training institution, the Cyril Potter College of Education, and other important areas.
“It is time our children in the Public Sector no longer be subjected to frequent teacher absenteeism, poor curriculum delivery, shortage of text books and materials, and non-submission of grades at the tertiary levels. I urge that this final report be delivered and made public in the shortest time possible.”
Selman, an educator, said that in order to ensure that each child was afforded the best possible education, there was a dire need to continue to add to the pool of trained teachers.
This year, 450 graduates will join the trained teachers’ workforce and 37 untrained teachers will complete the teacher upgrading programme, to prepare for the trained teachers’ certificate programme. In 2018, an additional 335 trained teachers are slated to join the workforce.
“Mr Speaker, we can do everything I have just mentioned and more, but there is still one thing that will prevent us from achieving the good life as it relates to education – that is, ensuring that teachers are available in all corners of the country. Too often, as we go out to the hinterland regions, the stories of quality of living comparisons to the coastland abound from our education officials,” she told the House.
Selman noted that basic food items are much more expensive in the hinterland compared to the coastal region and in some cases, teachers have to travel miles to get the basic supplies.

Quality
In order to ensure that we improve the quality of education and the opportunities for our young people, the MP said the availability of good teachers was vital – they must be retained. As such, the 80 per cent increase in the remote area incentive as stated in Budget 2018 is inadequate, she added.
“These excerpts speak a lot to the ordinary man. How can this Honourable Minister come before this House and tell us this. Wasn’t the Commission of Inquiry Report expected to address some of these very issues? It appears, Mr Speaker, that instead of dressing and treating our wound, every day this Administration adds a bit of salt,” the MP further stated.
Selman said it was her firm view that there must be a teacher’s training college or centre in every region of Guyana. This will ensure equal access to training opportunities. This initiative, she said, will ensure that those in the hinterland will not be left out and there will be no need to travel to the coast.
“The huge sums of monies spent on the Commission of Inquiry could have been used to lay the foundation for such an initiative. My Speaker, the Administration has to be smart about its approach to education, something it has failed miserably at since it took office in 2015 – one disaster after another.”
She continued, “I dare say, Mr Speaker, if the Honourable Minister of Finance is serious about giving life to the budget theme, “the journey to the good life continues”, then establish a training facility for teachers in all ten administrative regions. This will be the start of a good life.”
Selman said aside from training, focus should also be centred on improving salaries and enhancing teaching environments, especially those of teachers working and living in the hinterland. “Can a teacher taking home $80,000 a month enjoy the good life? Can a teacher in the hinterland who has to walk miles to get to the classroom be on the journey to the good life?” she questioned.
The Opposition MP has advised Government to adopt the Caricom Human Resource Development Strategy which Caricom Heads of Government approved in July this year. This Strategy is intended to prioritise the construction by 2030 of a globally competitive, innovative and integrated education system to drive growth and development in all Caricom States.
“Indeed, all Caricom Member States, including Guyana, were intimately involved in the preparation of the Strategy. I submit, Mr Speaker, that Guyana’s goals are not dissimilar to the goals of this Strategy, so let us stop wasting money on a Commission of Inquiry that may never deliver and use the funds to begin the rollout of the Caricom Strategy tailored to the needs of Guyana.”