Education Ministry roasts Coretta Mc Donald

The Ministry of Education registers its alarm at several blatant untruths and defamatory
statements made by APNU+AFC activist Coretta McDonald, who appeared to have been
masquerading as representing the Guyana Teachers’ Union on 25th January 2021 on an
APNU+AFC’s Afternoon Rush program.
Ms. McDonald said that, “nobody proper is writing the worksheets or doing any kind of
checking” and that, “friends” of the PPP/C are writing and photocopying worksheets that are
distributed to Guyana’s children, as a result of which they are poorly done.
The truth is, teachers drawn from the Primary Department supervised by ACEOs Samantha
Williams and Rabindra Singh engaged in writing worksheets in the areas of their speciality.
Those teachers were drawn from various schools, represent various ethnicities, geographical
locations and genders. The Ministry is proud and expresses deep gratitude for their tireless
efforts to get work out to the children.
The Ministry is saddened by this attack on the nation’s teachers and rejects any attempt made by
the APNU+AFC and their surrogates to denigrate the work, capacity or to bring into disrepute
these or any teachers for cheap political gain.
Secondly, the worksheets were printed by printers who have done work for the Ministry of
Education for years, and/or four of the national newspapers.
Thirdly, Ms. McDonald alleged that 28 teachers in Region One contracted COVID-19 when the
PPP/C Government asked them to pack and distribute hampers to children in the community.
The truth is, teachers in Region One were severely affected by COVID-19 between the 10th and
the end of June 2020, a time when Ms. McDonald’s party was unlawfully and immorally holding
on to Government that they had already lost.
The Ministry of Education urges Ms. McDonald and her party activists to be responsible in this
period and to represent matters truthfully. This is the second time in as many weeks that the
Ministry has had to refute blatant lies spouted by Ms. McDonald publicly.
The Ministry of Education advises the people of Guyana to get its news and facts from the
Ministry’s various platforms and particularly to disregard any statement emanating from Ms.
McDonald as it is most likely untrue. If Ms. McDonald can tell a fib about the teachers from
Region One which can easily be disputed by media reports, then it is clear she cannot be trusted.
Ms. McDonald is clearly not speaking for the Guyana Teachers’ Union, as none of these issues
she alleges was raised by the Union with the Ministry at its very many engagements since
August 2020.
The Ministry shall continue to work for the nation’s children. We encourage all to join us as we
attempt to combat COVID-19 and its harmful effects.