“We will work to ensure that those [schools] which were closed today, will be opened tomorrow” – Min. Henry
Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry and other officials of the Ministry of Education at the Press Briefing
Based on statics provided by the Ministry of Education, the industrial strike action initiated by the Guyana Teachers’ Union has not significantly impacted the opening of schools across the nation today.
According to officials of the ministry, there were several Education Officers deployed in each region across Guyana to assess the situation. The findings from the exercise conducted were released earlier this evening at a press briefing convened at the National Center for Education Research Development (NCERD).
The results reflected that out of nine hundred and twenty-nine public schools in the country, less than four percent closed their doors today.
| REGION | NUMBER OF SCHOOLS OPEN | NUMBER OF SCHOOLS CLOSED |
| Barima-Waini | 72 | 5 |
| Pomeroon-Supenaam | 89 | 0 |
| Essequibo Islands-West Demerara | 124 | 0 |
| Demerara-Mahaica | 132 | 0 |
| Mahaica-Berbice | 75 | 2 |
| East Berbice-Corentyne | 142 | 3 |
| Cuyuni-Mazaruni | 35 | 1 |
| Pataro-Siparuni | 26 | 0 |
| Upper Takatu-Upper Essequibo | 83 | 12 |
| Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice | 60 | 11 |
| Georgetown | 91 | 0 |
The statics also compared the numbers of teachers in each region as opposed to those who participated in the strike action.
The ministry also used the opportunity to encourage parents to send their children to school as there are measures in place to ensure that the students will be supervised.
“We will work to ensure that those [schools] which were closed today, will be opened tomorrow,” Minister of Education, Nicolette Henry said.
The ministry also disclosed that a total of 2,500 are in their “database”. These persons, she explained, will be dispatched where there is a need for substitute supervision.
It was noted that some 400+ trainee teachers from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) have been placed in schools across the country as the ministry is working towards resolving the issue of wages increase and other benefits for teachers.
