Education Ministry to consult with stakeholders about possible early start to new school year

While students are returning to school and will be in their correct classes, teachers will be administering the work for the previous year to those students. For instance, students who are in grade 4, will be administered grade 3 level work and then move forward.

Education Ministry to consult with stakeholders about possible early start to new school year

All schools in Guyana are now fully opened after being closed for almost two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But even as students are back in the classroom the Education Ministry is seeking out ways to bring students up to date with the curriculum and to counter the learning loss.

Speaking on the reopening of the schools today, Education Minister, Priya Manickchand said one of the ways to address the learning loss issue is to have the new school year begin early, possibly during the July/August vacation period.

“We have to find ways to make sure these children get exposed to the hours of education they need, that we have parents who are interested and attitudes that are right, we will have to work into July August,”

The Minister said opening schools during the traditional August vacation period will be dependent on stakeholders who are willing to work to make it possible. She however said that extra learning hours are now necessary since some worrying trends are appearing among students.

“So we have real issues academically to pursue, we have already administered diagnostics that will check to see where students are, relative to where they should be and that is how we are going to be teaching,” the Minister said.

While students are returning to school and will be in their correct classes, teachers will be administering the work for the previous year to those students.  For instance, students who are in grade 4, will be administered grade 3 level work and then move forward.

“So we have consolidated the curriculum to have students get exposed to a year before. So that when we used to have 40 weeks of learning in any year. We consolidated it into 20 weeks,” The Education Minister noted.

The Minister said the changes are necessary to bring students up to speed. She said she hopes teachers countrywide are implementing and adapting to the changes.

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