Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand recently commissioned the newly reconstructed Providence Nursery School at Herstelling, East Bank Demerara, a significant milestone in Guyana’s push to enhance early childhood education.
The four-month project was completed at a cost of $35.7 million, providing a “modern and nurturing” learning environment for 120 children, supported by 12 trained teachers. This school is the 61st to be built under the Ministry of Education’s infrastructure development programme, aimed at expanding access to quality education across the country, a release from the Ministry of Education stated.
At the commissioning ceremony, Assistant Chief Education Officer for Nursery Education, Devendra Persaud, emphasised the importance of early childhood education, stating, “Nursery education is the foundation for a child’s academic and personal growth.”
He reiterated the ministry’s commitment to ensuring that more children benefit from early learning opportunities, with Providence Nursery School standing as a model of this effort.
“Its vision is simple yet profound: to provide a nurturing, stimulating, and inclusive environment,” Persaud added.
Meanwhile, Minister Manickchand also highlighted the country’s impressive nursery enrollment rate, which is the highest in the Commonwealth Caribbean, despite nursery education not being mandatory.
She emphasised the Ministry’s initiative to ensure all children develop age-appropriate literacy and numeracy skills by Grade Four.
“We believe, in the Ministry of Education, that this is the very foundation,” Minister Manickchand affirmed, underscoring the nation’s commitment to creating a strong educational start for every child.