Manickchand opens biggest science fair to date - on the Essequibo Coast
By Rebecca Ganesh-Ally, April 23, 2014, Source
A student from Abram Zuil Secondary explains to Minister Priya Manickchand what their project is about.
MINISTER of Education Ms. Priya Manickchand yesterday, at Anna Regina Secondary School on the Essequibo Coast, declared open the National Science, Mathematics and Technology Fair 2014.
Theme for the event was ‘Science, Mathematics and Technology: providing solutions for the 21st Century.’
At the opening ceremony, there was representation of the 10 Administrative Regions of Guyana and the Minister said it was the biggest science fair to date.
“We are in a better place than we have ever been in the education system in our country today. Guyana’s education system is at a place in our country’s history where we are poised for takeoff. We can achieve this significant milestone and growth in this sector because of specific and calculated strategic and very conscious investments being made in this sector,” Minister Manickchand said.
She stated further that Guyana has achieved universal primary education and the Education Ministry is currently working to achieve universal secondary education across the country.
“If we are to measure, tangibly, what the Government has done for this sector, in 1992, five percent of the National Budget was spent on education and, in 2013, we utilised 15.9 percent of the National budget. This is the Government’s commitment to see Guyana do better,” she posited.
BETTER COMPENSATIONS
Manickchand also related that “we now have over 70 percent trained teachers within the Education sector and the sector is currently discussing better compensations for the teachers but this cannot be done overnight.”
Assistant Director of the Caribbean Science Foundation (Barbados) and Chief Judge at the Science Fair 2014, Ms. Lois Oliver expressed gratitude to the Ministry for affording her the opportunity to take part in this year’s event and told the parents and students that “being a nerd is cool; because of nerds we have advanced technologically today.”
She also advised the parents to encourage their children in whatever ideas they have concocted and assist them in making it a reality.
The Guyana Chronicle, after the opening, spoke with some of the students about what were exhibited and they treated visitors to informative sessions on their respective projects and the aims.
Some students were delighted at being part of the fair, as they believe that it provides a challenge to their young minds and helps them to increase their knowledge base to become great thinkers and better students.
The exhibits will be judged on presentation, creativity, students’ response to questions and relevance to the development of the environment, originality and economic and environmental benefits to the country.
