Dear Editor,
The Ministry of Education’s announcement that the NGSA (National Grade Six Assessment) is being revamped is welcome news. Educational equity across all regions is the foremost need and goal for Guyana. The education system, just like the economy, is riddled with inequities, creating more than “One Guyanas.” There is rich Guyana and poor Guyana, the haves and the have-nots, the privileged education of Region 4 versus the struggling education systems of the other nine regions, the poverty-stricken recipients of cash grant pittances versus the political and business oligarchs who feast sumptuously on Guyana’s fatted oil calves. So, the Minister saying that equity is a big goal is the right thing to do.
It is reported that the Minister said that the NGSA could still be used as an examination to identify “gifted” children and place them in national and regional schools. The NGSA is not a test specifically designed to identify the “Gifted and Talented” or the “Academically Gifted” students as we call them in the USA. There are special tests for that and other criteria. And what model of “giftedness” are we considering? The traditional academic achievement model or the “Multiple Intelligences” model? We do not need a model that will perpetuate inequities in selection for the “gifted” programs. In repurposing the elite schools, we must consider the concepts of “magnet schools” or “special focus” schools and selection of students using the “lottery” method.
Consider “Early College High Schools” whereby you leave high school with an associate degree. How about Oil and Gas Academies, High Tech High Schools, School of the Arts, STEM Academies, etc. Educational equity requires that high schools everywhere are largely similar and students should be placed in high quality schools in their neighbourhood area. The Ministry said, “Potential changes could see children being placed in schools nearest to them.” The Ministry said changes could be in place by 2027 – five years away. It is regrettable that the Minister said the NGSA, as is, is not being eliminated. The way that test is used makes it the root cause and the mother of all educational inequalities. It’s difficult to be on a change pathway when you are remaining the same in the NGSA.
The Ministry’s statement that “We cannot [change the NGSA placement system] without access to secondary education that is universal in the country,” is also regrettable. So, we continue the educational inequalities, as is? Is the Ministry saying we don’t have high school education in all of Guyana after 60 years of both PNC and PPP? I thought we already had universal education, but it is a system that is inherently unequal across all regions. What we need is equity and quality across all schools. (See “Exposing the myth about Guyana’s excellent results,” Indo-Caribbean, Sept. 20, 2022). The Ministry’s other news that the burnt-out section of the St. George’s High School will be reconstructed at its original location in Georgetown is quite a backward step. Most of the older schools are landlocked. Going forward we must think “modernization” and build schools on large campuses and relocate landlocked schools.
In North Carolina, for instance, the local School Boards which govern schools would look for 25 acres of land for an elementary school and 30-35 acres for a high school. You have to cater for parking, playgrounds and open spaces that reduce noise from road traffic. Why is it hard to find land for schools? How did that guy get 100 acres to build a gated community? Our children must come first, and prime lands must be reserved for schools, hospitals, and other public benefit projects. When you open a new housing project, you must allocate adequate acreages for schools, recreation, and community parks and activities. Government must have a plan to build new schools with large campuses to replace landlocked schools.
All new schools should have air-conditioning and internet-ready classrooms. Stop using chalkboards. Also, I have noticed the news item where a Kitty-Campbellville bus was overloaded with school children, and one child could be seen hanging on to the back of the bus. The Ministry must look into school transportation, as Mr. Granger had done. We can’t have Exxon and friends shipping away all our wealth and we can’t take care of our own people! It’s “Our Country and Our Wealth!”
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall
