The Education Ministry is considering waiving the tuition fees of University of Guyana (UG) graduates who are willing to serve in the hinterland regions.
Education Minister Shaik Baksh
This disclosure was made by Education Minister Shaik Baksh on July 11 during a farewell ceremony for a group of WorldTeach volunteers convened at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).
The plan, he said, targets graduates with specialisation in mathematics, English, the sciences, and other subject areas approved by the ministry. The offer will also be open to graduates from other faculties of the university.
The move, he said, is in keeping with the ministry’s drive to ensure there is an adequate number of qualified teachers in the hinterland regions, particularly in key subject areas.
The aim is also to get hinterland students to perform equally well as their colleagues on the coastland.
Over the years, the Education Ministry has implemented a number of initiatives to attract coastland teachers to serve in hinterland regions. These include offering a remote areas’ incentive, hardship allowance, free housing to serve in certain communities, and additional points for promotion.
Hinterland teachers who complete training at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) are required to return home to serve their respective regions.
Despite these interventions, Baksh said, the drive to attract qualified teachers to serve in the hinterland regions has been challenging. He praised the volunteers who served in those areas.
Apart from teachers, the government has also been focusing on students; and, according to Baksh, the school feeding and uniform programmes are having positive impacts on learners’ attendance. He was optimistic that these initiatives will result in an improvement in their learning outcomes as well.
The minister disclosed that the government is currently mapping the transportation needs of students in the various administrative regions, to determine to what extent the transportation programme for students can be extended.
He noted that the work of the voluntary overseas teachers to raise the standards of education in the hinterland regions has been commendable, and he disclosed that the government will be requesting that the number of WorldTeach volunteers who come to Guyana annually increases from 18 to around 50.
During their 11-month tenure of serve at schools in Regions One, Three, Four, Five, Six and Seven, the volunteers were engaged primarily in the areas of mathematics and the sciences.
Volunteers Suzanne Giunta and Elisabeth Reynolds, speaking on behalf of their batch mates, said their stay here was a rewarding, memorable and amazing experience. At the beginning of their tenure, the group had some difficulty adjusting to life in Guyana, and they praised the Education Ministry for its support in making their stay worthwhile and comfortable. Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary) Doodmattie Singh lauded the commitment of the volunteers, noting that at times they worked beyond the call of duty. She said their contribution, notably in the areas of mathematics and the sciences, has been noteworthy, and pointed out that there is a great need for teachers in these areas in the school system.
