Over 4,300 Teachers Trained in Four Years, Strengthening Guyana’s Education Workforce
Guyana’s education workforce has grown significantly over the past four years, with 4,378 teachers graduating from the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).
This remarkable achievement has increased the number of skilled educators in classrooms, improving the quality of education across the country.
At a year-end press briefing at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) in Georgetown, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand highlighted this milestone as a testament to the success of government initiatives.
In previous years, CPCE’s maximum annual graduation rate was 535, but under the current administration, record-breaking cohorts of 1,700 graduates in 2023 and 1,502 in 2024 were achieved.
This increase means a larger proportion of teachers in schools are now trained and certified. Previously, hinterland teachers faced significant challenges in accessing higher education, as they were required to leave their homes and spend six years pursuing a degree.
In contrast, coastal teachers only needed four years of study. This disparity discouraged many prospective hinterland teachers, leading to a shortage of trained educators in these regions.Recognizing the need to bridge this gap, the government made the degree programme more accessible for hinterland teachers.
As a result, hundreds of teachers from remote regions have now earned their degrees and are benefitting from improved career prospects.
Teacher welfare has also been prioritized under the current administration. Educators with doctoral degrees now receive a monthly incentive of $32,000, while those with postgraduate and master’s degrees receive $7,000 and $22,000, respectively.
Additionally, the incentive for hinterland teachers has been increased from $9,000 to $23,000 per month.These reforms highlight the government’s commitment to strengthening the education sector and addressing disparities between hinterland and coastal regions.
The increase in trained educators represents a significant achievement and promises continued improvements in the quality of education across Guyana.
