Latest update April 7th, 2025 6:08 AM
Education Ministry honours child-friendly schools
In a keenly contested competition organized by the Education Ministry with the support of the United Nations Children’s Fund – UNICEF–, St. Margaret’s, Rose Hall Estate and Hampton Court Primary Schools have been adjudged the best child-friendly schools in Guyana.
The competition was open to primary schools in Regions Two, Four, Six and Georgetown last year as part of activities to observe Education Month.
The top three schools along with the three best schools in the participating education districts were honoured at a well attended presentation ceremony held at the Theatre Guild, Kingston Georgetown.
St. Margaret’s Primary of Georgetown was the overall winner of the competition. It received four computers and a refrigerator. Second placed Rose Hall Estate Primary of Region Six was presented with three computers, a refrigerator and a public address system; while Hampton Court Primary of Region Two walked away with three computers, a television and a public address system.
The other winners, Diamond Special Needs Centre of Region Four took away three computers, while Siriki Primary of Region Two; Number 36 Primary of Region Six; Winfer Gardens Primary of Georgetown; and Virgina Primary of Region Four received two computers each.
Queenstown Primary of Region Two; Bohemia Primary of Region Six; North Georgetown Primary, Georgetown; and St. Paul’s Primary of Region Four were each presented with one computer.
Addressing the well-attended gathering at the Theatre Guild, Education Minister, Shaik Baksh, said that since the child-friendly schools were first piloted in 2007, pupils have been performing better at their examinations.
A section of the gathering of students at the “Child Friendly Competition” held at the Theatre Guild
Child-friendly schools, among other things, focus on quality education delivery, a learner centered approach to teaching, healthy school environments and the creation of learning environments that cater for pupils of varying learning abilities.
Baksh credited the improvement in pupils’ performance at the 2011 National Grade Six Assessment to the introduction of child-friendly environments in more schools, and said greater attention is being placed to make all schools child-friendly environments.Guyana was recently lauded by a UNICEF report for the significant strides it has made in this regard.
Baksh said that goal is to create positive supportive learning environments in all schools, more particularly at the primary level.
He explained that the aim is to ensure that pupils leave the primary cycle able to master basic concepts in literacy and numeracy, so that they can make a smooth transition to secondary schools.
In all of this, the Minister said, teachers have an important role to play, but that aside, parents need to get more involved in their children’s education and create an environment in the home that promotes learning.
School Welfare Officers will be visiting the homes of students considered to be “at risk” during the July/August holidays to counsel and to assist them to access material support where necessary.
Similar Articles
THE BLUNT OF THE DAY
Sports
Features/Columnists
Anticipation without preparation
Peeping Tom… Kaieteur News- The Vice President of Guyana, ever the sagacious observer of the inevitable, has reassured... more
The U.S. “Joining” the Commonwealth: an unreasonable expectation
By Sir Ronald Sanders Kaieteur News- Recent media stories have suggested that King Charles III could “invite” the United... more
Weekend Cartoon
