Minister of Education Priya Manickchand has finally responded to critics, asserting that her Ministry’s ambitious programme to improve Mathematics and English at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination has been heartening.? The Minister has revealed that while the performances in the two subject areas have declined Caribbean-wide, the 26 schools in which the Ministry had piloted the improvement project had in fact realised improved performances.Minister of Education, Priya ManickchandThe project was introduced soon after the Minister assumed the post of Education Minister in December of last year. The ambitious move spanned a mere four months and saw Government injecting in excess of $87M to the Education Ministry to facilitate the project. “I saw a lot of criticism in the press but we (the Ministry) did not respond to any of them…” said the Minister who noted that even though it was such a short period a notable difference was observed.Minister Manickchand had earlier this year insisted that her Ministry was on a mission to reap value for money at the 2012 CSEC examinations. She revealed even then that a review of current capital type investment suggested that “we are not seeing the corresponding rise in grades in the two particular subject areas of Maths and English.”? She asserted too that despite the fact that the Education Ministry is one of the largest Ministries in terms of resources, the results have not been proportionate to the investments made.“The problem with that is very simple: if our children can’t matriculate with Maths and English then it means there are going to be a lot of doors closed to them…” the Minister had lamented.It was against this very background that she saw it necessary to introduce the ambitious programme.?? Among the schools that were included in the project were: ?Abram Zuil, Anna Regina and Aurora (Region Two); West Demerara,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys, Zeeburg, Patentia, Leonora, Stewartville (Region Three); Annandale,Wholesale NFL China Jerseys, Covent Garden, Bladen Hall, Hope (Region Four); East Ruimveldt, Christ Church, North Georgetown,Wholesale Jerseys Online, Central, Brickdam, North Ruimveldt, Richard Ishmael (Georgetown),Cheap NFL Jerseys, Bushlot, Mahaicony, Bygeval, Woodley Park Primary Tops (Region Five); J. C. Chandisingh, Tagore Memorial, , New Amsterdam Multilateral, Berbice High, Skeldon Line Path? (Region Six); Three Miles (Region Seven), St. Ignatius (Region Nine), MacKenzie High, Christianburg and Silver City (Region 10).Manickchand pointed out that while in the area of English there have been indications of acceptable results over the years, the subject area of Maths, over the past 10 years,Wholesale Jerseys China, reflected a mere 10 per cent increase in the pass rate from about 20 per cent to 30 per cent last year.In introducing the programme last year, the Minister noted that “the fact remains that we are seeing some countries having 31 and 38 per cent, but all under 40 per cent, and this is no comfort to me because at the end of the day, what it means is that we have 70 per cent of our children not having some of the doors we have here opened to them.”She questioned, “what is the point of developing Guyana or making our country move from a low income, heavily in-debted poor country, to a middle income developing country if the new opportunities arising in this country are going to be out of the reach of our next generation?”According to the Minister, the rationale behind striving to improve the rate of performance in the subject areas was geared at ensuring that “our children can go on to universities,NFL Jerseys From China, whether local or foreign, and be able to access certain jobs. If they don’t have Maths and English, then in a sense we are failing them and certainly we are failing our dear country…” The Minister alluded to the National Pledge, pointing to the fact that the whole theme of the pledge is that we will do what is good for Guyana.“That is not to say that we think teachers have not been doing what is good, but somehow or the other the system has not been able to get those grades up and this for me is not only a matter of concern but almost a challenge or a red flag in front of a bull…We have the potential to make changes and we can combine the potential we have to see actual results for Maths and English if we could improve the grades of at least 1,500 of our children.”

Paul Fraser, 27, of Lamaha Springs,Cheap Jerseys Online, Georgetown,Cheap Jerseys From China, has been remanded to prison for reportedly assaulting and threatening his relative, Sherwin Thomas.On January 14, Fraser is said to have assaulted Sherwin Williams causing him actual bodily harm, and in the process,Wholesale China Jerseys, threatened to kill him.The defendant told the court that he is self employed as a vendor. Fraser stated that he had several charges before court, but was never convicted. He then claimed that he is innocent of the allegations.“I get injury from dis man he just evilous”However police prosecutor Shavonne Jupiter objected to bail. This was on the basis of the likelihood that the defendant may interfere with witnesses involved in the case, since they share the same address.Williams,Cheap Jerseys From China, the complainant in the matter,Jerseys NFL Cheap, told the court that the defendant is in the habit of causing troubling. “I think that this fella should be taught a lesson your worship.”The man told the court that due to the defendant’s behaviour, he plans to move from his present residence to avoid any further issue with him.? “Your worship,NFL Jerseys China, I will be moving in about a month, I just need time.”After hearing the testimony, Magistrate Judy Latchman ordered that the defendant remain incarcerated until February 27 when the matter will be called again.