Four reasons why these three persons should not be there

Apr 14, 2016 Letters

Dear Editor,
At a press conference held on 6th April, 2016, Minister of Education Dr. Rupert Roopnaraine announced the names of the confirmed commissioners for the pivotal Commission of Inquiry into Guyana’s failing education system. Identified as commissioners, among others, are Assistant Chief Education Officer (ACEO) Ingrid Trotman, Acting Deputy Chief Education Officer (DCEO) Marcel Hutson, Acting Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary) Leslyn Charles. It is my contention that Ms. Trotman, Mr. Hutson and Ms. Charles should be not commissioners since they are senior functionaries within the Ministry of Education.
Several reasons can be advocated why these officers of the Ministry of Education should not be commissioners. Firstly, Ms. Trotman, Mr. Hutson and Ms. Charles were the ones who initiated, advocated and executed the very policies and practices which will be evaluated. How objective can they be in this process? Secondly, Ms. Trotman, Mr. Hutson and Mr. Charles should be called on to give evidence to the Commission. Ms. Trotman and Ms. Charles manage the nursery and secondary levels of education in this country. Rather than being commissioners, Ms. Trotman and Ms. Charles must explain the genesis of the many failed educational programmes we have had in this country. These individuals must explain the management of the programmes and the reason for failure. Mr. Hutson must also be called on to give evidence on the failing supervisory practices of the Ministry of Education.
Thirdly, Minister Roopnaraine said that one of the objectives of the CoI is to “establish a baseline analysis of the state of the public education in Guyana”. Ms. Trotman, Mr. Hutson and Ms. Charles are the ones who have been in-charge. Essentially, we are asking these individuals to grade themselves. Two of three of these individuals are functioning in an acting capacity. I wonder what the grade will be!
Fourthly, teachers who which to evidence to the Commission may be hindered from doing so because of the designation that these individuals hold within the Ministry of Education. Any indictment against the Ministry of Education is really a condemnation of the work done or not done by these individuals.
Mohammed S. Hussain

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