Taking a few more minutes to complete a task can make a world of difference in the quality of the delivery. There are varying degrees to which a task can be completed, albeit perfectly is the goal. Some people perform best with little to no errors, others with few errors, even more at the level of errors here and there, sprinkled everywhere. While some parents hold their children to the child’s best-performing standards, it must be highly confusing for the child who is forced to be subjected to textbooks riddled with inaccuracies.
The ‘Guyanese in the World Social Studies Grade 3’ textbook, like many other initiatives of the PPP/C Government, is a good one in theory. However, there always seems to be a debilitating crux which ensures the initiatives are either shrouded in a scandal like the Belle Vue Pump Station or enveloped in misrepresentation like the GOAL project.
Back in March 2024, Chief Education Officer of Literacy, Stembiso Grant, told those in attendance of the launch at the Round House in Kingston, Georgetown. that textbooks being produced were meticulously structured to address the demand for culturally relevant materials and to consistently enhance and modernise the education system, with the aim of delivering a “world class education.” While the books take into account global requirements and trends, their content remains closely tied to the local context, thereby amplifying their efficacy within the classroom. while the Social Studies textbook will provide the lessons on societal and environmental norms and etiquette, along with the various resources across Guyana.”
Taking a few more minutes in the crafting of the content of this textbook would have resulted in the identifying of many of the grammatical errors. Indigenous community names are not to be spelt incorrectly by anyone, worse yet in a textbook published by the Ministry of Education, to be distributed to students across the 10 regions of Guyana. One could assume that students in Karasabai are corrected daily for spelling errors. Could you imagine opening a text book after just being reprimanded for misspelling “Karasabai” incorrectly, only to see it in bold letters as “Karasabi”? Not only would that be confusing for the students, it must be embarrassing for the teachers as well to explain to the students that the Quality Assurance team of the Ministry of Education in the production of this textbook, failed to assure any semblance of high quality content.
This particular Ministry of Education should be proud of its achievements in delivering good news and many schools. However, the well-known saying of “quality over quantity” seems to be lost and dashed by the wayside when it comes to delivering on promises. On page 26 of this now notorious textbook is what is supposed to be a map of Guyana taken from https://www.lovelyplanet-be/media/map/guyana.png. It is unclear why this was the map the team chose, it is also unclear whether there were no other options. However, what is pellucid to all and sundry is that Guyana’s internal boundaries are as skewed as Venezuela’s perceptions of our external boundaries. The incorrect placement of the boundaries will not only confuse the students further, but will also add to the misinformation the students of Guyana already face when it comes to geography in this wonderful land of ours. The Barima-Waini boundary with Cuyuni-Mazaruni, the Cuyuni-Mazaruni boundary with Potaro-Siparuni, the Potaro-Siparuni with Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo to name a few. Surely, it could not be that hard to utilize any of the correct maps used in the ‘Guyana:Our Country or Home’ textbook by Shirley Greene, or even purchase one from the Guyana Lands and Surveys Commission. Of course, using these will require purchasing them but surely there should be no hesitation when it comes to ensuring the students of Guyana get the best quality education.
However, the debacle on Thursday where the Toshao of Chinese Landing highlighted what seemed to be an intentional attack by the government to smear and throw jabs at the previous toshao of the village took the cake. Not only was this petty and unfounded under the guise of a “scenario” but it is the same classless behaviour SN’s cartoon of December 15th,2024 described. SN then reported that following the uproar the Ministry of Education announced the withdrawal of the textbook over contentious references to Chinese Landing which has been in a controversy with the government for a number of years over mining. For many reasons, this debacle could have been avoided but considering we are already at this point it begs the following questions. How much more money will be spent to correct this? Will there be a transparent process where the amount spent will be made public? Will the updated book be launched with the same fanfare as this one was launched back in 2024?
Granted, the Ministry of Education in Guyana has made significant strides in expanding access to education and increasing the number of schools, which are laudable achievements. However, the rush to deliver materials or the drive for quantity over quality cannot overshadow the importance of creating resources that are accurate, well-researched, and meticulously crafted. Education is a foundation for future generations, and it is imperative that the materials students receive reflect this.
Ultimately, the errors found in the ‘Guyanese in the World Social Studies Grade 3’ textbook are not simply typographical mistakes or minor oversights—they are indicative of a broader issue in the approach to education reform. The process of producing educational materials should be more than just ticking off boxes; it should be a deliberate, thoughtful, and inclusive effort to ensure that every detail aligns with the principles of quality education. Taking a few extra minutes to refine the content, double-check the facts, and ensure accuracy could have made all the difference in delivering a resource that both students and educators could take pride in. As it stands, the current state of this textbook leaves much to be desired, and it serves as a reminder that in education, the devil truly is in the details.
