Queenstown Village on the Essequibo Coast celebrated its 178th anniversary on Monday and President David Granger stressed again on the importance of education when he emphasised that the school is a pillar of the community.
“Education is essential to development. It is the one true path to development at the national, regional, neighbourhood and village levels,” the Head of State said, according to a statement from the Ministry of the Presidency.
The increasingly embattled President who is facing growing calls to pave the way for swift general elections said, “Education was one of the pillars upon which Queenstown was established. The others are the family, the farm, or workplace and the church. If one of these pillars fails, the village would fall.”
Granger, who is now the frequent target of protests by the PPP, said education must be bolstered if Queenstown is to make progress.
“It is the responsibility of the villages to ensure that the best education is accorded to their children. The village has a vital role in education. Villages must be restored to a central place in education,” the President said, before referencing an old African saying, “it takes a village to raise a child.”
The President adverted to the Government’s education policy, ‘Every Child in School’ (ECIS).
“We want to ensure that every child is literate, numerate and graduates from school as an ‘A’ student. ‘A’ for access to education, ‘A’ for attendance and ‘A’ for attainment,” he said, according to the statement.
“I would like to see a school in every village so that children do not have to travel long distances. Attendance at school is equally important. Government’s policy is to ensure that every child attends school and stays in school,” the President said.
Throughout this Decade, the President said, emphasis will be placed on education. He told the residents of Queenstown Village and neighbouring communities that every citizen has a right to free education.
With the government facing elections, the President’s regular reference to a decade has raised eyebrows.
President Granger added that the Government will expand the provision of buses, boats and bicycles to reduce the financial burden on parents as well as broaden the school feeding programme to encourage school attendance.
Granger, a historian, noted that Queenstown is considered the oldest village on the Essequibo Coast, having been purchased by freed Africans who pooled their resources to acquire former plantations. The Africans then converted these plantations into communal or propriety villages or a mixture of both.
“Queenstown has never been helpless. It has helped itself. It has demonstrated the capacity for self-organisation, throughout its 178 years. This capacity is exemplified by the Queenstown Development Association in 1991,” he added.
He noted that Queenstown has been transformed over the past 178 years. It is still predominantly an African village but it now has a multicultural character.
Granger also noted that village democracy must thrive through regular local government elections and the selection of local leaders, who care for their communities and who represent their constituencies.
The Head of State committed to assisting the Aberdeen-Zorg-en-Vlygt Neighbourhood Democratic Council with a trailer.
