(December 2, 2022) – The Ministry of Education has appointed Mr. Keon Cheong to be the Ministry’s Assistant Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Special Education Needs (SEN). Mr. Cheong has been serving as the Coordinator of the Regional Special Education Needs/Disability Diagnostic and Treatment Centre from October 2018 to present. The Regional Centre is located in the compound of the Cyril Potter College of Education’s (CPCE) Turkeyen Campus where its main purpose is to identify, treat and diagnose disabilities in children, adolescents and youths.
Mr. Cheong graduated as a Trained Teacher in 2001 from CPCE and currently holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology from the University of Guyana as well as a Master’s Degree in Special Education from the University of New Mexico, USA. He is presently pursuing his Doctorate in Education (Special Education) through the University of North Dakota, USA.
Mr. Cheong will be supported by Ms. Nikoya Alleyne who will serve as Senior Education Officer (SEN). Ms. Alleyne is a Graduate Senior Assistant Mistress at the Beterverwagting Special Education Centre. She previously taught at the Ann’s Grove Primary School. She is also a part-time teacher on the Guyana Learning Channel and a part-time lecturer at the Board of Industrial Training.
She earned an Associate Degree in Primary Education at the CPCE then went on to acquiring a Certificate in Special Education from the University of Guyana. Further, she holds a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education and a Diploma in Psychology from the University of Guyana. Ms. Alleyne is currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Education Studies with a major in Special Education at the University of the Southern Caribbean.
She has been a teacher for seven years, trained in early childhood education, primary education and special education. She has also been working with the Guyana Learning Channel and EdYou FM over the past two years producing educational content in the three aforementioned areas.
