2022 education plans for sector announced by minister

Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, on Monday revealed several plans for her ministry in
2022. She said that these innovative plans will benefit both teachers and students.
High on the list of plans is the full reopening of school for students of Grades 8 to 13, when
school resumes on January 3. Manickchand outlined this and more to journalists at her ministry’s
end of year media brunch held at Cara Hotel Lodge, Georgetown. “Going into 2022 we intend to
vigorously get back to a level of normalcy that we have still not been able to do, so except we are
otherwise advised by the ministry of health, all students from Grades Eight to Thirteen will be
expected to go back to school fulltime,” she explained.
Manickchand revealed that while students should be COVID-19 vaccinated, there is still a very
low percentage of the 12-17 age cohort that is immunised. She warned that these students were
given five months to take the jab. As such, she argued that schools cannot remain closed because
of students who choose not to become vaccinated. She said that this is being unfair to those who
are inoculated and cannot access fulltime schooling. “The students from Grades Eight to Thirteen
have all been offered and have been given five months to get vaccinated…,” she noted.
Manickchand continued, “If persons are not going to take the vaccine, then we cannot keep our
children out of school, and it is unfair to the children who took the vaccine that they are unable to
access the full schooling time and hours. So, we are going to have to make sure our children can
have masks, sanitise and or wash their hands frequently and get the education they need at that
level.” As such, she outlined other initiatives on the cards by her ministry for the new year
includes the expansion of the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) in Region
One, Annandale in Region Four, Region Six and Region Nine.
Additionally, the education minister noted that the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE)
will be expanding to accommodate the training of more teachers. This will meet the ministry’s
goal of having 100 percent trained teachers across the country.\
She went on to disclose that a new radio station will also be launched, dubbed 99.9 FM and will
be dedicated to educational content.  The minister said the Guyana Learning Channel will be
expanded to six channels, dedicated to learning and promising that it will be accessible in every
hinterland community. “These channels will be expanded to every single Amerindian, hinterland
and riverine community…It means we have to give solar, the television sets and satellite and we
have procured enough for all of the Amerindian villages,” she said.

The education minister went on to note that among other initiatives that will be undertaken by
the ministry is the revision of student’s textbooks, thus ensuring that every primary school child
receives all the necessary books to enhance their learning. Manickchand disclosed further that
literacy programmes will also be implemented for adults and school drop-outs. This initiative,
she noted intends to see some 150 persons being trained as literacy coaches.
Additionally, she said that the reform curriculum for 2022 will include a mandate from President
Irfaan Ali, to incorporate “care for the environment” and “material and learning that takes us

closer to his vision of one Guyana.” Further, the education minister stressed that a number of
others programmes will also be implemented to better pass on knowledge to students amidst the
pandemic and develop the education sector.