Guyana, partners review US$5M GPE Education plan

The Education Ministry on Tuesday met with its national, regional and international partners for the Mid-Term Review of Guyana’s Global Partnership for Education (GPE) Compact.

The review, which evaluates work completed since the Compact launched in 2023, also addresses ongoing challenges and examines efforts to shape Guyana’s next national Education Sector Plan.

Backed by a US$5 million GPE System Transformation Grant, the Partnership Compact serves as a unified roadmap for the sector. Rather than funding separate, short-term projects, the agreement coordinates government policy with international financial and technical support around one main focus – strengthening instructional leadership across school and district management networks.

A major focus of the review is checking progress on turning Headteachers and District Education Officers (DEOs) into active instructional leaders via the National Education Leadership Academy (NELA) programme. By improving school management and setting clear performance standards, the initiative targets long-standing issues like reliance on seniority-based promotions and limited support for middle-tier supervisors.

Participants are also reviewing how schools use foundational learning assessments and educational data. These tools help teachers and officers spot learning gaps early and support students across the country—especially those in hinterland, riverine, migrant, and Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) communities. It also focuses on issues relating to violence and bullying in schools as the Ministry of Education works to ensure that all students can learn in a safe and conducive environment.

In addition, sessions are focusing on securing long-term funding to keep these education reforms running smoothly in the coming years.

The review brings together government ministries, regional education leaders, teachers, civil society representatives, and development partners, including the GPE, UNESCO-IIEP, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), World Bank, UNICEF, and CARICOM.