The Ministry of Education (MoE) yesterday rejected claims made by Opposition Member of Parliament, Catherine Hughes, about the Head of the Guyana Learning Channel being related to the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand.
Hughes, during the fifth day of debate on the national budget both praised and criticised the work of MoE while questioning the experience of Head of the Guyana Learning Channel, Anieshaw Mohamed, and alleging that she and the minister are related.
In her speech Hughes observed, “The Learning Channel quite possibly is the most mass education for the primary and secondary education process in Guyana and it must be commended, but this entity has been unable to reach its full potential because it continues to be constrained by nepotism and limited thinking.
Why should someone who is related to the sitting Minister of Education be running that facility with no broadcast experience and no education background? These are the issues that continue to plague us and these are the issues that have to be addressed.”
Hours after Hughes’ presentation at the debate, the ministry posted a statement on its Facebook page.
“The Ministry of Education strongly rejects the statements made by Opposition Member of Parliament Ms. Catherine Hughes directed to a senior officer within the Ministry, Ms. Anieshaw Mohamed, Head of the Guyana Learning Channel.”
It added, “Mrs. Hughes tried to tarnish the reputation of Ms. Mohamed by stating that Ms. Mohamed was employed to Head the Learning Channel because she is related to the Honourable Minister of Education. This could not have been further from the truth. Ms. Mohamed and Minister Manickchand are not related in any way. This untruth told by the Opposition Member of Parliament should be rejected fully. It was a cowardly act to attack a professional public servant. A woman who is making significant changes in the education sector.”
The release went on to condemn another attack on MoE personnel, this time Chief Planning Officer, Nicola Warrina-Johnson, which was reportedly made by another Opposition Member of Parliament, Natasha Singh-Lewis, during one of her television programmes.
In defending Warrina-Johnson’s competence, the MoE stated, “Mrs Warrina-Johnson is amongst the most qualified planners in the Caribbean and her services are coveted internationally. Guyana is lucky to have her. She has dedicated her life in service to the Guyanese people and has declined many lucrative offers because she believes in building her country. She is responsible for planning in a dynamic sector for many years now. She is current with education trends internationally and plans for needs as they arise and as they are predicted. Mrs Warrina-Johnson collaborates closely, on the Honourable Minister’s behalf, with International Development Partners and other agencies to implement the Ministry’s programme.”
The MoE asserted that it stands with all its officers as they execute their duties, and cautioned the opposition, “to not involve officers in their political attacks.”
The ministry also called on Speaker of the National Assembly, Manzoor Nazir, “to protect the reputation” of persons within various ministries who have no involvement with the affairs of parliament.
