Dear Editor,
Guyana’s education system has more than five standardized examinations: National Grades 2, 4 6 and 9 exams. In addition, there is the CSEC examinations in Grade 11. The Ministry of Education also conducts a National Grade 10 examination. All of these exams are less than 30 weeks away. One week has already been lost. It seems next week will be lost too. Retired teachers, CPCE trainees and the children sent by the Ministry of Education as substitutes cannot prepare students for these examinations.
Few of these category of persons would be able to complete the SBA which is necessary for the award of a CSEC grade. Additionally, the quantity of substitute teachers needed cannot be met by the Ministry of Education. Secondary school students will be the ones punished most by the Ministry of Education.
Editor, it is shocking to me that the Ministry of Education has a contingency plan. For years, teachers have been short in numerous schools and for numerous subjects and this contingency plan has never been activated. I would like the Ministry of Education to activate its contingency plan for chemistry, physics and Spanish teachers when the strike ends. Could Ministry Henry also activate the contingency plan for math teachers in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 please?
What is worse is that the Ministry is trying to dupe this nation by telling us that all schools are open. Schools are open but teachers are not teaching. Taking into consideration the documented rate of indiscipline is schools, this is a dangerous precedent. The Ministry’s foolish comments that schools are ‘opened’ have now resulted in students being sent home. However, the Honourable Minister will be happy to hear, ‘The schools are still opened’.
The Ministry of Finance is quiet, the Ministry of Social Protection is quiet, the Ministry of Education is quiet, the Alliance for Change is quiet, the PNC is quiet, Minister Volda Lawrence is quiet, Minister Harmon is quiet. The WPA has forgotten to speak. I would say the prime minister is quiet too but he is irrelevant. Among all this silence, His Excellency President Granger has flown out.
Yours faithfully,
Mohammed S. Hussain
