Strategic thinking demands an effort to establish priorities and to identify the most significant issues involved in each process. The emphasis of the actions taken by MoE during these years will change in accordance with how the Ministry and the education system evolve, the resources available, and the perception the communities have of the performance of the schools. In principle, five strategic lines will guide the development of the annual action plans. The evolution through the five-year span is as follows:
Table 6: Annual emphases of the plan
Once all the strategies to address the strategic issues had been identified and analysed, they had to be integrated into a rational and cohesive plan. Since some of the actions demanded by the different groups of strategies are the same, some are linked in time or are part of a sequence, and still others could be contributing factors to the same objectives, in order to be successfully carried out they have to be inserted into a unitary process, as parts of a whole.
| Strategic Objective | Intermediate Objectives | Strategies/Actions | Target Date/s | Performance Indicators |
| To improve the quality of the delivery of education, especially in the area of literacy and numeracy. | ECE is more effective and is up to the agreed international standards. | Nursery (years 1 and 2) and primary grades 1 and 2.(preparatory A and B) will be officially designated ECE | 2003 | Relevant circular is issued |
| An Assistant Chief Education Officer (ECE) will be appointed to beresponsible for nursery and the first two grades of primary. | 2003 | Appointment is made. Officer is functioning. |
| The nursery curriculum will be further revised to include greater emphasis on pre-literacy skills and will be closely aligned with the curriculum of the first two grades of primary. | 2003 | The curriculum document is completed, printed and distributed to all nursery and primary schools and to all relevant officers at regional and central departments. |
| A special training programme will be developed for teach-ers in ECE, to orient them to changes in the curriculum. | 2003-2007 | Over 90% of teachers at this level take part in the training programme, approximately 20% each year. |
| A policy of placing the best (trained) teachers in the lower grades of primary school will be put in effect. | 2003-2004 | 80% of the schools have placed trained teachers at grades 1 and 2. |
| Performance norms (Academic) will be established for the ECE grades. | 2003 | The document is com-pleted and circulated to all nursery and primary schools and to relevant officials. |
| National standards (which include aca-demic and non-aca- demic norms) will be finalised and effect-tively communicated to all nursery and primary schools. | 2003 | A document with all the standards is published and disseminated to all schools. |
| Regions will use a School Mapping Exercise (SME) to diagnose the number of schools meeting national standards. | 2003 | Results of SME are published; and the weaknesses and strengths of schools clearly established. |
| Schools will prepare School Improvement Plans (SIPS) to help them meet the defined standard. | 2004
2005
2007 | 60% of schools have documented SIPS.
50% of schools are meeting defined standards
80% of schools are meeting defined standards. |
| Regions will allocate additional resources and give more support to schools with the identified greatest needs (based on SMEs). | 2004
2005
2007 | A formula for financing is established.
30% of targeted schools meet national standards.
50% of targeted schools meet national standards. |
| Training programmes for parents and parents-to-be will be con-tinued, using the parenting manual which has been developed. | 2003-2007 | 50% of nursery and primary schools develop a parenting programme.
50% increase in parental involvement in school life. |
| A national campaign to promote the im-portance of ECE will be developed and implemented with special emphasis on economically depressed areas. | 2003-2007 | 70% increase in television and radio programmes on the topic.
50% increase in the printed material on the topic distributed.
Almost 100% coverage at this level in the specified areas. |
| The existing programme for teachers in ECE at CPCE will be revised to include the new initiatives in the curriculum. | 2004 | Programme is revised. |
| Levels of literacy and numeracy are significantly improved. | A new methodology to teach literacy, based on a survey of good practices in Guyana and abroad, and on the defined performance norms, will be introduced at nursery and primary levels. | 2003-2007 | 50% improvement in the number of students meeting the defined standards from cohorts entering primary education from 2003.All CPCE graduates in ECE from 2007 can deliver the new curriculum. |
| Mathematics for grades 1 to 3 will be taught via Interactive Radio Instruction (IRI) | 2004-2007 | 50% improvement in the number of students meeting the defined standards from cohorts entering primary education from 2003. |
| Ten persons per year for 3 years from the various teacher training facilities (UG, CPCE, NCERD) and the regions will be trained as specialists in the new approaches. | 2003-2005 | Number of persons trained. |
| Geographic clusters of schools will be created. | 2003 | Clusters are mapped out for every region. |
| By 2005, 90 cluster advisors will be trained to support teachers through monthly cluster meetings and visits to schools. | 2003-2007 | Number of advisors trained in 2003, 2004, 2005.
No. of training meetings held.
No. of visits made to schools. |
| Teachers and headteachers will be trained to implement the literacy programme, starting with 20% in 2004 and completing training for all practicing teachers by 2006. | 2003-2006 | Percentage of heads and teachers trained.
No. of teachers implementing the new methodology in classes. |
| Teachers from grade 1 to 3 will receive training in the use of IRI in the classroom. | 2003-2004 | No. of heads and teachers trained.
No. of schools using IRI in the relevant classes. |
| A system of on-going school based assessment of literacy will be put in place. In addition, there will be national assessments at 3 key stages starting in 2003. | 2003
2005
2007 | Assessment of grade 2 (prep B) students carried out.
Assessment of grade 4 (std II) students carried out.
Assessment of grade 6 (std IV) students carried out.
Assessment data are available in schools and in national reports. |
| Books and other support material for literacy and numer-acy will be produced or procured for all schools. | 2004-2006 | Proportion of schools with adequate supplies of recommended materials for students and guided material for teachers. |
| A national awareness campaign will be developed to sensitise the public to the new approaches. | 2004-2005 | Proportion of parents who participate in the compact for literacy. Reduction in the number of queries about literacy from parents and other stakeholders. |
| National level officers for ECE and primary education, as well as regional departments, will develop action plans to monitor and sustain these activities. | 2004 | Action plans of relevant officials. |
| The nursery, primary and secondary curricula are revised and a mechanism to ensure that they will remain up-to-date is put in place. | A permanent commission will be constituted to advise the Minister on evaluation, revision, and updating of the curriculum. | 2003-2007 | Advisory and evaluation reports from the Commissioner.Inclusion of topical social issues, etc., in the curriculum. |
| Regions will study the curriculum and make recommenda-tions for adaptation to their local environment if necessary. | 2005-2007 | Proposals for localisation of the curriculum made to Curriculum Unit.
Region-specific material developed. |
| Schools will develop SIPs with improved delivery of the curriculum as the major priority. | 2003-2007 | By 2003, 25% of schools will include improving the quality of delivery of the curriculum in their SIPs, rising to over 75% by 2007. |
| A more relevant curriculum is used at the tertiary Level. | Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) curriculum will be continually revised, in consultation with employers, to include new subject areas and new technologies. | 2003-2007 | No. of new subject areas introduced.
No. of subject areas revised.
Evaluation reports from employers and graduates.
Rate at which graduates are employed. |
| TVET institutions will be evaluated on their capacity to deliver the new curriculum, and plans for development will be made. | 2004-2005 | Evaluation reports.
Improvement plans of each institution. |
| Special programmes will be derived from the new curriculum to offer training at this level to young adults. | 2004 | The Skills Training and Employment Programme (STEP) is implemented. |
| Standards for inputs, processes and outputs are defined and systematised. | Work on academic standards (performance norms) for all subject areas will continue. | 2003 | Relevant document is produced and disseminated. |
| A task force will make revisions or additions if necessary, to the non-academic norms and will organise all academic and non-academic norms in a way that allows for incremental implementations. | 2003 | Standards are widely known and are used as a basis for planning by schools and regions. |
| Supervision and inspection of schools will be done in the light of these standards. | 2004-2007 | Standards form the basis of reports, evaluations, etc. |
| An SME will be carried out to give regions a diagnosis of their institutions in relation to the standards. | 2003 | SME completed; regional and school indicators available. |
| Regions will prepare action plans to help in the implementation of these standards. | 2004 | No. of plans developed.Proportion of schools meeting relevant standards. |
| A monitoring system is developed. | The MIS Unit will install software at school, regional and central levels to allow for the storage and retrieval of the relevant data related to academic and non-academic standards; data bases will include information on personnel, buildings, equipment, students, etc. | 2004 | Proportion of schools with the relevant programmes.Timeliness of retrieval of information. |
| Infrastructure and equipment will improve | Local (i.e., school level) and regional preventative maintenance plans will be developed and implemented. | 2004 | Proportion of schools and regions with a maintenance plan.
Proportion of recurrent expenditure on maintenance. |
| New equipment to support educational innovations will be supplied to schools through GoG and donor- supported programmes. | 2004-2007 | Availability of equipment in schools as indicated in statistical returns. |
| To improve equity in the education sector by giving special attention to previously un-reached students; (persons with special challenges), those without access to quality secondary education, and those in remote hinterland and riverain areas. | The delivery of education will be improved, especially in hinterland and riverain areas. | Schools will be constructed and repaired and dormitory facilities improved in the hinterland and riverain areas. Teachers housing will also be constructed. | 2004
2006
2006 | 20% of schools are up to standard.
40% of schools up to standard.
600 new dormitory places available
20 new teachers/flats houses. |
| Schools will develop SIPs. | 2004
2007 | 30% of schools in remote areas working with a SIP
75% of schools in remote areas working with a SIP. |
| The Escuela Nueva (EN) programme will be expanded in Regions 1 and 9 and extended to Regions 7 and 8. | 2005
2007 | 10 schools following EN programme20 schools following EN programme |
| Training of teachers in hinterland and riverain localities by distance education will be increased and intensified. | 2003-2007 | The proportion of teachers in hinterland regions who are trained is increased by 50% by 2007. |
| Access to secondary education is improved and the curriculum is redefined, paving the way toward Univer-sal Secondary Education (USE). | Plans will be formulated at central and regional level to gradually eliminate community high schools and primary tops. | 2003 | Regional USE plans are in place. |
| New schools will be constructed. Schools will be extended and rehabilitated to give a 10% increase in capacity at the secondary level. | 2003-2007 | 6000 new places provided. |
| Curriculum for secondary level, including alternative learning paths, will be developed. | 2003
2005 | Curriculum being implemented in 50% of all secondary institutions.Curriculum being implemented in all secondary institutions. |
| Teachers in secondary schools, in particular in com-munity high schools and secondary departments of primary schools, will be given special training to allow them to deliver the new curriculum. | 2003
2004
2005
2007 | 90% of teachers in CHS and 10% of teachers in secondary departments of primary schools trained.40% of teachers in secondary departments trained.60% of teachers in secondary departments trained.80% of teachers in secondary departments trained. |
| Mainstreaming of some persons with special needs into regular schools. | A national study will be done to establish the number of students with special needs. | 2003-2004 | Data on number of students with disabilities available at national and regional levels. |
| Data bases at schools, regions and central level will be updated through screening of students at entry grades for each level. | 2005 | |
| All students at CPCE will do a basic special education module to sensitise them to the needs of these students and increase their observation skills. | 2004 | No. of persons receiving the new module. Reports from schools .The number of teachers willing to have children with special needs in their classes. |
| Special resource and support units for children with special need will be established. | 2003
2005
2007 | 1 unit established.3 units established.6 units established. |
| Special schools will be assisted to produce SIPs | 2006 | All special schools will have SIPs developed with assistance from many stakeholders. |
| Closer links will be established with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Labour, Human Services and Social Development | 2004 | Exchange of data among Ministries.Proportion of children receiving early support through information received from Ministry of Health.Proportion of families receiving support from Human Services Ministry. |
| To increase the level of commitment of students, parents and communities to the education process and to human rights. | Increasing stakeholder participation and commitment. | MOE will strengthen its existing policy of promoting the participation of stakeholders through training of PTAs and School Improvement Action Committees (SIACs) to participate in school improvement plans/activities. | 2003-2007
2005
2007 | 75% of schools will have active PTAs and/or SIACs.50% increase in the number of parents active in PTAs and SIACs. |
| Regional and local advisory councils will be set up to monitor schools and to advise and recommend strategies to regional and local school authorities. | 2003 | No. of councils set up. |
| National Advisory Commission on Education (NACE) will be strengthened through the provision of a regular budget. | 2003 | Reports/recommenda-tions from NACE to Minister. |
| Increase level of respect for and tolerance of diversity. | A special programme derived from UNICEF Management of Social and Sensitive Issues programme will be implemented to prepare teachers to be more effective as facilitators for tolerance of diversity. | 2005 | 40% of teachers will have taken part in this program. |
| The issue of tolerance of diversity will be included in the HFLE programme. | 2003 | Curriculum is available.Reduced incidence of problems related to intolerance in schools. |
| Special programmes for parents and the community will be organised in the schools. | 2006 | 25% of the schools will have developed this type of programme. |
| Literacy and artistic contests will be established on a yearly basis on variations of this topic.See initiatives under improved literacy and numeracy. | 2003 | From 2003, these contests become a feature in the system. |
| To improve the human resources of the system. | The competency of the teachers in the system is improved. | ECE and USEA council for teacher education will be set up to promote greater collaboration among providers of teacher training and effect smoother transition from one programme to another. | 2004 | UG and CPCE agree on a credit system for various courses, including courses offered via projects etc. |
| Greater training opportunities (post- graduate) will be provided for teacher educators. | 2004-2007 | A 20% improvement in the proportion of teachers at CPCE with post-graduate qualifications. |
| CPCE facilities, especially equipment, will be improved to facilitate additional programmes, greater orientation to education technology, etc. | 2006 | Innovative technology centre opened at CPCE. |
| Each region will implement a plan to support the development of its teachers with a school-based approach. | 2007 | 40% of the schools have a developmental programme for their teachers. |
| Teachers receive better support. | Training programme for supervisors will be initiated. | 2006 | 30% of the supervisors receive special training. |
| Communications with the regional offices and the schools will be improved. | 2006 | 90% of the schools have a reliable and effective way to communicate with the regional office. |
| Schools are provided with water, electricity and a telephone or alternatives to them. | 2007 | 90% of the schools have all three services or their substitute. |
| Teachers in the hinterland and riverain regions will be provided with appropriate accommodation. (See initiatives under hinterland) | 2007 | 60% of the schools in the hinterland region have living quarters for teachers constructed or rented. |
| There is a reduction of the loss of valuable personnel in the system. | A study will be made to quantify the loss of personnel in the system, especially teachers. | 2003 | Up-to-date information is available on the system losses. |
| A task team will be formed to develop a comprehensive strategy to minimise losses in the system. | 2003 | Policy is improved and implemented. |
| The HRD department of MOE will be developed and improved. | 2005 | Recommendations from consultancies in HRD are put into effect through an IDB- supported project. |
| A training centre for HRD will be developed and equipped with project resources. | 2004 | Centre is opened.Programmes offered. |
| MOE’s managerial capabilities are improved and the system becomes more effective and accountable. | Managerial capabilities of the Ministry are improved. | A new Education Bill will be taken to Parliament. | 2005 | Bill approved |
| A task team will be formed at MOE to develop an action plan to introduce the managerial changes estimated necessary and/or achievable. | 2003 | Plan is approved and implemented |
| A strategic director will be appointed to co-ordinate the rollover of the strategic plan. | 2003 | Action plans of all units, regional or central, are prepared annually and are in congruence with the strategic plan. |
| Reforms will be introduced in the department of finance as recommended by consultants. | 2003 | Reforms are made in the financial area of the MOE. |
| Staff of the MIS unit will be increased in number and existing members trained. | 2003-2004 | Staff appointed. Training courses attended. |
| Information Technology staff will be appointed in each region to support the MIS. | 2005 | Staff appointed |
| Equipment for management and administrative purposes will be provided to central and regional departments and some schools under an IDB supported project. | 2005-2006 | Equipment inventory, especially number of computers. |
| A virtual library will be developed.See initiatives under stakeholder participation. | 2003 | Documents from MOE and data are available through the internet. |
| Improving the decentralised management of the system. | Officers in regional offices will be trained and prepared to fulfill their tasks. | 2004-2007 | 75% of the regional personnel participate in training workshops. |
| An improved financial management system will be introduced for better resource allocation and accountability at the school level. | 2004 | Six schools in two regions implement the new system as a pilot project. |
The strategic plan 2003-2007 is a planning system more than a plan. It is more strategic and less nominal than past plans. It has been developed from the strategic issues that the Ministry has to face in the period, stresses feasibility and provides flexibility to accommodate the changes in the environment, and the opportunities, threats, weaknesses and strengths that might evolve in the course of the next five years.
Strategic planning was the course chosen over other options because it produces an environment more conducive to innovation. In the case of Guyana, it was able to analyse the Ministry and the environment in which it works in a new way, one that could lead to solutions different from those unsuccessfully tried in the past.
Strategic planning is important because it plays a central role in political decision-making which itself begins with issues, and which strategic planning can improve by shaping how issues are framed and addressed, leading to choices and actions more likely to be politically acceptable, technically workable, and in accordance with an organisation’s basic philosophy and values. These choices and actions are also likely to be morally, ethically, and legally defensible.
The decision in favour of a flexible planning tool for the Ministry of Education was based on the recognition that the main characteristic of the 21st Century in all societies is rapid change, and for countries like Guyana, rapid change which will frequently have to be made under pressure from more powerful countries and external agencies. In place of a document which can rapidly become outdated in such an environment, the plan is a guiding instrument, a framework in which developmental efforts should take place. It must always remain flexible, giving priority to the strategic thinking that the institution must generate if it wants to be successful in the future. It must leave all doors open for the Ministry to search for the best strategies at all times.
1. A written document which has all the necessary elements to give a sense of direction to the institutional actions that will be required in the five-year period. It is the product of a very participatory and demanding process geared to take into account all significant opinions, and which is based on the work of a number of dedicated persons in the Ministry. This written plan provides the vision for significant improvements and changes in the education system.
2. A commitment to develop five action plans, one for each year of the plan period, which will define the specific actions to be taken in each year and outline the steps necessary for implementation.
3. A group committed to consistently supplying the necessary strategic ideas and concerns and to functioning as the coordinating unit for the execution of the plan. The Strategic Planning Committee will assume this important task. It will manage the plan and will introduce whatever new perspectives become necessary. The education system and the Ministry are institutions with thinking, living beings who must be able to adapt to changes and use whatever new opportunities become available.
4. A monitoring mechanism to report on the implementation of the actions included in each annual plan and in the overall strategic document.
5. An annual evaluation immediately before the start of the planning and budgeting processes, to determine the level of success achieved and to ensure that the necessary corrections and adaptations are made. The Strategic Planning Committee, supported by the Planning Unit, will be responsible for this task.
