By Lear Matthews
Lear Matthews is Professor Emeritus and former Lecturer at University of Guyana. He is the author of “English Speaking Caribbean Immigrants: Transnational Identities” and Co-creator of the video “Dis Time Nah Lang Time”. He has written extensively on the Caribbean Diaspora.
Education provides a conduit for cultural continuity. The Ministry of Education in Guyana announced the enforcement of a policy regarding interaction between schools and the public. Organizations and individuals will be prevented from visiting or making donations directly to (government) schools. The rationale centers on preventing “potential vulnerability to abuse and misrepresentation”. The problems identified by the Ministry are noteworthy. However, enforcing reparative measures without streamlining procedures such as timeliness and uniformity in granting permission for donations and visits may not be the most welcomed solution. This article focuses on implications of this policy for the diaspora, particularly organizations and individuals vested in supporting their alma mater or formal education in general.
Assessing the Problem
Understandably, the Ministry seeks to address safety, security, privacy, unauthorized visits and accountability. It is clear that quality assurance and professionalism are expected outcomes. However, there have been inconsistencies within some government institutions, including the lack of follow-up in a timely manner and hiccups in instituting protocol. There is an often-forgotten dimension of structural change which has impacted the culture and administration of the education system, i.e. past and current alumni attended schools when they were privately owned. That allowed direct, informal contact and communication with school administrators regarding inquiries, contributions or other business and interaction with schools. The shift to public administration of the education system resulted in changes in protocol and management, including procedures for making donations. The recently enforced Ministry of Education policy hinges on that transition, but its enforcement has advantages and disadvantages, depending on how it is implemented. The new guidelines provide an opportunity to articulate ideas to strengthen the educational curriculum with input from both home and the diaspora. However, it can also cause a disincentive to donors. Alumni Associations are committed to creating a learning environment that continues the legacy of local schools by fortifying the curricula and infrastructure needs. Members are interested in sustaining connections and maintaining quality education. The Guyana High School Alumni Association Council is a purveyor of this trend.
In their research entitled “Navigating Change in Guyana: How does the diaspora fit in” (forthcoming from the Univrersity of Guyana Press in 2024), Lear Matthews and Leonard Lewis found challenges and tensions between diaspora organizations and government institutions including (a) bureaucratic delays in expediting customs “clearance”, (b) gaps in delivery of donated equipment and services (c) failure to provide timely acknowledgement of received items, which cause misgivings and frustration, and (d) concerns about workplace decorum. There have been reports of redistribution decisions whereby the schools for which items were designated did not receive them or only a portion. One alumnus stated, “we are sympathetic toward other schools which also have needs, but we were not informed of redistribution of equipment sent by our Association”.
Diaspora Philanthropy has grown through a range of incentive projects including scholarships, cash awards and innovations. Projects in Teacher-motivation, bursary programs, Parent Teacher Association support and Sports have benefited. So did reengaging alumni with their former school. Some alumni on their own initiative have conducted teacher-training workshops in Math and Science professional development, the arts, and other fields. Others not connected to a particular school also make sizable donations.
Possible Solutions
The message of the ministry signals the need for guardrails to protect the integrity of students, and members of “the public” are expected to comply with established policy. Head-teachers were reminded of protocol for inviting guest speakers. This writer suggests the following: (1) Institute safety measures enforced by trained on-sight security personnel, and vigilance by school officials and parents’ alertness; (2) A security system enhanced by a modernized electronic system and mandatory presentation of visitors’ identification; (3) Timely response from the ministry to the receipt and distribution of resources. If the earmarked donations are shared with other than designated schools, justification and destination should be communicated to donors; (4) The ministry must acknowledge receipt of donations and provide timely information about progress of recipient schools; (5) Expeditious response to requests (donors would be less tempted to avoid the ministry);The composition, role and authority of a schools’ Board of Governors, where such exists, should be clarified; (6) Donors and potential visitors in Guyana or the diaspora must contact their respective Alumni Association or the Guyana High School Association Council, which has a direct line of communication with the ministry and school administration; (7) Apart from the Chief Education Officer, have “point persons” for dealing with the subject of civil connections (including the diaspora), related to education; (8) Safeguard against favoritism and polarization with regards to distribution; Teachers, students, school administrators and parents must be appraised about the source and distribution of received funds, equipment and services; (10) As part of the safety campaign, students should be warned about the ‘pros’ and ‘cons’ of “digital platforms” which may cause unpredicted levels of insecurity, and impact emotional well-being. The relationship that emerges from the above-stated strategies requires on-going dialogue, collaboration and commitment.
The Guyanese diaspora wants to be engaged, but has not been able to do so to capacity without a National Diaspora Engagement Strategy, which establishes a nation’s policy and mechanism for a structured alliance with the diaspora. Other countries have benefitted significantly from such an initiative. A comprehensive engagement strategy would facilitate organized transfer of collective remittances, knowledge and services. Alumni Associations, other voluntary diaspora organizations and business entities have long been valued contributors to sustainable development. They seek to maintain a working relationship with home country recipients and mediating partners who are mutually respectable, goal-oriented and humanistic. In the case of educational institutions, the main purpose of “giving back” is to sustain a learning environment for developing quality academic and life skills aptitude for educational excellence. It also allows the diaspora to sustain emotional, economic and cultural attachment to “home”.
This discourse offers an opportunity to express concerns about the reputation, cultural impact, and accomplishment of education institutions in Guyana. Alumni Associations embrace the challenge to carry the mantle of educational excellence. Clearly, the ministry’s policy is intended to generate a continuum of movement from exploitation to protection and respectability, by upgrading stewardship and oversight. There is justification for enforcing well-crafted policies, which can be accomplished by institutional self-assessment and correction of operational deficiencies. Like the argument for a safe and secure environment, guarded accessibility is important to sustain orderly distribution of resources across the educational spectrum. Preserving the dignity of our students by engaging measures that protect them and their institutions is very important. We believe that the contributions made by donors and visitors’ requests are made in good faith. Although there is justification for highlighting the policy, the way it is imposed can be a disincentive..
The intent here is not to impugn or unduly criticize the ministry’s effort, but to emphasize that expediency in streamlining the bureaucracy that implements policy decisions is essential. Alumni Associations seek a mutually respectful partnership. Former students who are not members of an Alumni Association tend to be less familiar with procedures relating to school donations and visits. They are encouraged to reach out to the ministry or Guyana High School Association Council for information and guidance in these matters.
There seems to be a disconnect between the values of “giving” and the measures to actualize those values. Quality education is the cornerstone of nation-building, and Alumni Associations are committed to contributing to that process. Effective policies and structures must be sustained if Guyana is to deliver a first class education and the promise to, as the University of Guyana Foundation Blueprint 2040 declares, “have at least one UG graduate in every household, and bring higher education to the service of the community, nation, and mankind.” For more than a decade, Guyana government administrations have indicated an interest in establishing a conventional structure to engage the diaspora, but have failed to implement such a plan. It is time for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to seriously augment mobilization of diaspora resources for education and volunteerism (as is done for business investment). This would expand firm partnerships with overseas Guyanese. This commentary is as much a recognition of the government’s role in implementing rational education policy, as it is an acknowledgement of interest in students’ accomplishment. We support the need for a well-equipped, safe educational environment in our Dear Land.
