…appoints acting Deputy and Assistant Chief Education Officers
The Ministry of Education on Wednesday announced the appointment of Marti DeSouza as Deputy Chief Education Officer (ag) (Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development) and Ameer Ali Assistant Chief Education Officer (ag) (Examinations) until substantive appointments are made.
In a statement, the Ministry said that DeSouza’s post is “new to the structure of the Ministry of Education and the role of the DCEO (AHED) will be to ensure that education policies and goals are established, defined and operable in the hinterland.”
Further, the Ministry said the new appointment will aid in bridging the gap between hinterland and coastland education with “a view to eradicating altogether all inequities and inequalities in the delivery of education and associated services”.
“The aim is to prepare and place on equal footing the children of the hinterland so that all the economic, growth, development and other opportunities arising now and in the future will be available equally to them and their families resulting in Guyana developing at a faster rate,” the Ministry said adding that DeSouza is tasked with the effective management and coordination of education programmes in the hinterland.
DeSouza, who resides in Mabaruma, Barima-Waini Region and is a trained teacher also holds a Bachelor of Education Degree – Administration with Distinction from the University of Guyana (UG).
“Coming from the hinterland I know the challenges, I have lived through the challenges, more importantly, I tackled the challenges head-on. I know through partnerships, empowerment, and the provision of adequate resources; physical and human, education in the hinterland can rise,” DeSouza said of his appointment.
He added, “As we move to modernize education every child must benefit, every child must be reached, every child will be reached, no matter where in the hinterland they are. That is a vision I am committed to realizing.”
Meanwhile, the Education Ministry said that to improve the integrity and structure of the examination systems it will soon appoint a qualified person to occupy the position of Assistant Chief Education Officer (Examinations).
This post, though new, will serve to improve what obtains so that the Ministry can efficiently administer all examinations whether local or regional, the Ministry said noting that the creation of the post will not replace exists but will bolster the Ministry’s capacity in managing all examinations.
Ameer Ali, Senior Education Officer, will perform the duties of the ACEO (Examinations) until an appointment is made.
“The purpose of the ACEO (Examinations) is to bring synergy to the various departments of the Ministry as far as measuring and evaluation goes in administering examinations, analysing results therefrom and discerning and implementing systems and programs to ensure the efficient delivery of the curriculum which will be measured by output,” the Education Ministry said in the statement.
Ali views the new position as progressive because it addresses the need for greater collaboration and synergy between the Examinations Division and the Testing Unit.
He said that for several years, the Examinations Division and the Testing Unit at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) has been working diligently and beyond the call of duty to ensure acceptable standards in the development and administration of national examinations across the education system.
“All our children, at the various levels, must have an equal and fair chance at succeeding at whatever examinations they write, including CSEC and CAPE. Therefore, the guidance of children’s preparation and skill development in specific and strategic areas and levels will be crucial and necessary. This would also mean specific and in-depth training of teachers and other stakeholders in the completion of syllabi, SBAs and practical assessments,” he said.
Ali is a trained teacher who also holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics and is currently reading for his Master in Education – Mathematics. He also possesses an International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET) Certificate in Monitoring and Evaluation.
