More than 1,500 teachers to graduate soon

Some of the teachers who graduated in November 2023

Guyana’s education sector is set to be strengthened with more than 1,500 trained teachers. That’s how many teachers will be graduating from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

The number of graduates reflects the government’s commitment to have 100 per cent Guyana’s teachers fully trained by 2025. The goal is in alignment with President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali’s vision for a world-class education system in Guyana.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, made this announcement on Wednesday during the commissioning of a new block at the West Demerara Secondary School in Region Three.

In November 2023, a total of 1,796 teachers graduated from the CPCE in various disciplines, marking the largest cohort of teachers ever to graduate in the country.

Currently, 99 per cent of teachers in classrooms are either trained or undergoing training.

Minister Manickchand further emphasised, “That means that we have more teachers in the system. [We have] smaller classes and more expertise. But it also means that we have a higher quality of teachers in the system…We’ll still have to do continuous training.”

Since the PPP/C Government assumed office in 2020, over 2,000 new teachers have been added to the education sector.

In the last four years, teachers have benefitted from several initiatives aimed at improving their working conditions.

These initiatives include the distribution of school cash grants, increased access to wages and salaries, spacious classrooms, and additional educational resources.

Moreover, teachers are set to benefit from enhanced access to finances and resources in 2024, 2025, and 2026.

This forms part of an agreement signed between the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) in August.

As such, teachers will receive a 10 per cent increase in their salaries, eight per cent in 2025 and nine per cent in 2026.

The government continues to demonstrate its commitment to developing the sector by investing in various programmes and policies aimed at boosting the well-being of teachers and students.