By Khadidja Ba
Esteemed UK-based Guyanese educationist Sir Dexter Hutt has expressed deep concerns about the state of education in Guyana, pointing to outdated practices and highlighting its troubling performance compared to other South American countries and some Caricom neighbours.
Hutt, who recently visited Guyana after some 50 years, said that according to statistics he has reviewed, Guyana’s literacy rate is the lowest among the 12 countries of South America. Further, Sir Dexter said, “I looked up the stats online. Guyana’s literacy rate is … lower than Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados, and St Kitts. You wonder why that is.”
The decorated, but now retired school leader, who said he has a high regard for the intelligence and capability of Guyanese, expressed his disappointment at the current state of the education system. “Guyanese have always been bright,” he remarked. “I think highly of Guyanese, so I’m a bit taken aback. There seems to be generations of talented, hardworking Guyanese. If I were growing up now, I’d want to stay and contribute to the country.”