Programme launched to boost male students’ performance in schools

The Education Ministry’s National Literacy Department on Wednesday launched the Male Achievement in Education Programme to aid male learners who failed to achieve a passing grade at the recent National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).
This pilot programme is being rolled out in collaboration with the Ministry’s Secondary Sector; its Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) Unit; Loyola University, Chicago and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF).
Professor at Loyola University, Dr Tavis Jules explained that the programme seeks to capture male students who exhibit behavioural problems and will help them to achieve the competent reading level by the time they reach Grade Nine.
Using the HFLE curriculum, the students will benefit from a programme that not only targets literacy but also aids in their development of interpersonal skills.
Dr Jules explained that male underachievement was a crisis that was not recognised early because significant investment was made in the education of girls.

“What we have seen now is that because we’ve spent the last decade focused on getting girls in school, we have neglected the boys,” Dr Jules said, during the programme’s launch at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).
“Because we’ve neglected the boys, everything from absenteeism to traumatic incidents whether they are at home or school, are now causing a distinctive set of behavioural problems. Those behavioural problems are ultimately impacting their academic achievement,” he noted.
The programme will initially target five schools, with participants expected to receive mentorship from Lieutenant Colonel Matthew Chichester and team.
Education Officer within the Secondary Sector, Sheldon Granville expressed the Unit’s support of the programme, noting that it was a matter of national importance to address the issue since every child could contribute to the development of Guyana.