Access to nursery education being improved as more schools are built and upgraded

The Ministry of Education is conducting a massive revamp of nursery education across the country, with more schools being rebuilt, expanded, and newly constructed.

Education Minister Priya Manickchand said last week that the government is aiming to improve the education system by ensuring every child attending nursery school leaves with skills that were not compulsory before 2025.

During remarks at the commissioning of the Swan Nursery School and the opening of a new block at the Yarrowkabra Nursery School, Manickchand said reading remains an issue for students. A new programme included in the nursery curriculum will ensure that students can read and write appropriately. This forms part of the wider National Literacy Programme.

“The aim of that programme is to ensure that every child, by Grade Four, is reading, writing and understanding. What we have been seeing is children reaching Grade Six and they can’t answer a single question. If you ask them the question, they can answer, but if you ask them to read the question, they can’t answer,” the Education Minister said.

Swan Nursery is one of 54 new nursery schools built. The block commissioned at Yarrowkabra Nursery School adds to the 39 nursery schools that have been extended, and a further 13 nursery schools have been rebuilt due to the upgrades needed, Manickchand said.

The Minister said the focus on nursery schools caters to the needs of students, making access easier. She also noted that while nursery education is not compulsory in Guyana, enrolment has improved with every new school commissioned.

“We have a secondary school there [at Yarrowkabra] now and 11,000 children are going to it—so much so that we need to do an extension. That says to us that once we put down schools, your children will attend,” Manickchand said.

She added that the schools are not only being built, but the Ministry is also working with teachers to ensure they are properly trained.