Transforming Education in Guyana

In Guyana, a Partnership Compact lays out a comprehensive roadmap to enhance quality, equitable participation, and achievement in education for sustainable development, by strengthening school and district leadership and improving sector management.

With a focus on the country's multicultural diversity, the initiative promotes inclusion for all children, whether girls or boys, in urban, riverine, or hinterland areas, including migrants and children with disabilities, ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

To achieve the Compact’s goals, school head teachers and District Education Officers are identified as pivotal actors in ensuring all children benefit from quality education. The Compact also strives to remove any barriers and provide the necessary support so that schools can effectively use resources and ensure learning for all students to achieve Guyana’s education system transformation.

“This initiative is a fantastic step for us towards taking our education system forward and we are grateful to have the support of GPE, the IDB and of course IIEP-UNESCO.”
-    Tonnica Dey, Chief Planning Officer, Ministry of Education Guyana

Snapshot of Guyana’s educational landscape

Despite recent improvements in Guyana’s education system, the government is committed to addressing several persistent challenges. A major priority is improving student performance, as just over 28% passed the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and 31% of matriculated students achieved a Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) in 2022. 

Regional disparities between students persist, with students in hinterland regions performing below the national average. Only 12.3% of pupils passed the NGSA in 2022, compared to 34% in Georgetown and 31.3% in the rest of the country. For secondary, 11.2% of students in the Hinterlands achieved a CSEC certificate in 2022, compared to 37.1% and 32.3% in Georgetown and the rest of the country respectively. 

Gender gaps also exist, with females generally outperforming males in primary assessments, though boys slightly outperformed girls in secondary results for the first time in 2022. Additionally, there is a need for more inclusive educational resources and infrastructure to meet the learning needs of students with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Partnering for impact

With a five-million-dollar System Transformation Grant from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the Partnership Compact focuses on Strengthening instructional leadership at district and school levels to promote equitable learning by strengthening culturally responsive and effective instructional leadership and improved accountability at the district and school levels.

To advance its goals, IIEP is collaborating with the Ministry of Education and partners to offer extensive expertise in educational planning and management, including strengthening the capacities of middle tier school actors.

Key transformation areas

• Establishing a leadership academy to empower district and school leaders
• Revising job descriptions
• Developing equitable funding formulas
• Enhancing system-wide coordination
  
  

Implementing the Compact

Since 2022, IIEP has worked closely with the Ministry of Education, the Local Education Group, the Global Partnership for Education, and all stakeholders to draft the Partnership Compact for Guyana.

IIEP, the Ministry of Education, the Inter-American Development Bank, and partners have also designed the roadmap and work plan for implementing this reform, which was formally endorsed by the government in February 2023.

Embracing multicultural diversity

The reform focuses on transforming the education system while embracing Guyana's rich multicultural diversity. It aims to strengthen culturally responsive instructional leadership at the district and school levels, promoting the inclusion of all children and ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

Tapping into the power of the middle-tier

Education professionals at the system’s middle tier play a crucial role in improving learning outcomes. Acting as liaisons between central authorities and schools, they understand the unique challenges and opportunities of each school context and the needs of each child. Given Guyana's multicultural diversity, these professionals are best positioned to adapt national education policies to specific contexts. IIEP has longstanding expertise in strengthening the capacities of these education professionals.

Building a Leadership Academy

A major achievement will be the design, development, and rollout of a Leadership Academy – a new institution for district and school leaders in Guyana. The Academy will reach aspiring and practicing district and school leaders, and regional and central planners and decision-makers.

“We believe that this initiative, that this project, will be something that will be very significant in the history of education in this country.”
-    Saddam Hussain, Chief Education Officer, Ministry of Education Guyana