Objectives of the Education Strategic Plan may not be achieved – GTU

By Samuel Sukhnandan

With this being the final year for the implementation of the Education Ministry’s Strategic Plan, the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) said it is concerned that most of the objectives set out in the blueprint may not be achieved.
The ministry’s Education Strategic Plan was launched in 2008 and will come to an end this year. GTU General Secretary Coretta McDonald notes that many of the goals set out in the plan are only “still on paper”. She believes that it is highly unlikely that many of these goals could be achieved. McDonald told Guyana Times International that most of the goals aimed at supporting teachers and development of the education sector are still to be implemented, or in some cases far from achieving the objectives.
She said many hiccups were encountered during the past four years.
According to her, as it relates to support for teachers, there has been a few successes. McDonald noted that while the recent five-year pact between the GTU and government was a great accomplishment, the union is still pushing to have more done for teachers.
She, however, stated that the Guyana Improving Teacher Education Project (GITEP) is one of the few initiatives that are working out well.
But, McDonald noted that while the programme is of a high standard, its overall objective has not been fully realised. The union is hoping that the new batch of trainee teachers will benefit from the entire project, as all of the components will be in full effect. The GTU added that the only problem was the provision of adequate lecturers.
UG campus for Essequibo
Despite these issues, McDonald told this publication that the GTU is pleased with government’s move to establish a few more CPCE centres. She added that the GTU will resume talks with the Education Ministry and the University of Guyana aimed at having a campus established on the Essequibo coast, explaining at length the urgent need for a campus there.
According to her, it is difficult for teachers who attend the University of Guyana to give up their life on the Essequibo coast, especially those who have families. McDonald said it was not only costly for teachers who want to complete their four-year education degree programme, but impossible for them to keep in constant contact with their family. For this and other reasons, the GTU official said that the union would push to have a campus on the Essequibo coast.