Dear Editor,
This week the Ministry of Education will continue to administer a colonial era, traumatic experience to 15,268 students who will write the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), then they will worship the top 1% winners. There was a video message from the Minister to tell students “I love you,” and announcing extra time to complete the exam (“More time, more exam centres for students sitting NGSA – Education Minister,” KN, Apr 25, 2023). Where are we, and what are the plans and current preparations to abandon the NGSA?
There were some articles critiquing the NGSA. See “NGSA is educational apartheid, perpetuates inequities in education, should be abolished,” (KN, Sept. 19, 2022). “Government must commit to ending NGSA and urgently address inequitable education system,” (SN, May 29, 2021). “Exposing the myth about Guyana’s excellent exam results,” (Indo-Caribbean, Sept. 20, 2022).
There was a response from the Ministry, “Reformed NGSA placement structure being considered– Education Minister,” (Chronicle, Nov 15, 2022). “The ministry is currently exploring a reformed type of placement at NGSA. It can’t happen now. When we get all our [secondary] schools in place and there’s a secondary school available to every child then NGSA can serve the purpose of saying children who are extremely gifted are offered places at the national school, then the regional school, then everybody goes to a school close to their homes,” Minister Manickchand said. In the Minister’s video saying, “I love you” to the NGSA students she also said, “…whichever school you get we are going to make sure that school offers you a high-quality secondary education that prepares you for life in Guyana, in the thriving Guyana that we have right now…”
After 60 years of both the PNC and PPP, inequities across all regions, inequities in all services to citizens from all Ministries and Government sector have been pervasive, and continue to be entrenched. Region 4 and Georgetown continue to be the centre of attention and special activities and events are centred mainly in Georgetown. Recently, we observed Literacy Day. Were the Literacy Extravaganzas held in all regions? How many schools have a proper functioning, modern library, so essential for literacy development? (while Exxon and friends fetch away the bulk of our wealth). There was a recent headline, “Education Ministry’s Literacy and Robotics programme launched in Region Four,” (NR, Apr 27, 2023). How many schools across the regions have this programme? How many schools have the STEAM programmes? If the answer is not all schools, then we have a serious equity problem.
It is not true that the Ministry has to wait until new high schools are built to have equity across Guyana. That is essential, but we have to be upgrading all schools now. Modernizing schools must include self-contained classrooms, not classrooms separated by plyboard separators in an open hall. Internet access must improve in all rural areas. The public engagement, professional development designs, parent involvement, and national dialogue must start now, to prepare us for ending the NGSA malpractice.
The Ministry must get busy working on the Equity Plan, not find more ways to beat the “dead horse” of the NGSA harder. Education reform and reform leaders are so critical now to support the urgent and growing economic changes. The Ministry needs lots of expert help.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jerry Jailall
