By Sharmain Cornette?In a spirited quest to sustain its drive to improve literacy in Guyana, the Education Ministry has put in place several interventions which will bear fruit in the years to come.Minister of Education, Shaik BakshThis is according to Education Minister, Shaik Baksh, who stresses that “Education is not about improvement in a couple of months or in one year,” a fact he opines many media personnel do not understand.The minister said that based on his readings over the past couple of months about media criticisms, “they have not assimilated; they have not understood clearly what we have been trying to do in the Ministry, although in several fora we have been expounding what we have been doing.”“I have been at pains to point out the various literacy initiatives that are being undertaken and what we have been achieving, but none of this has been reflected in the media.”Baksh pointed out that some sections of the media seek to criticise the efforts being directed to improving literacy without even trying to find a balance.Though acknowledging that there should be a review of what is being done, he noted that media houses should also seek to put forward what has been done by the Ministry and the Regional Education system.Because of the interventions that have been engaged, the education sector, according to the Minister now has a more focused and concentrated literacy agenda.This, he said, comes as a result of the move to put some of the best qualified persons in the newly established literacy unit. But this will not be the end to efforts that have been engaged, as the Minister disclosed that he will continue to review, on a quarterly basis, the workings of the literacy unit.“I have oversight responsibility for this unit to ensure that it moves in the direction that the Ministry has determined. So we have to outreach throughout the length and breadth of Guyana. And I was very pleased when I visited some of the far-flung regions in the hinterland areas and saw the Fast Track Literacy Initiative at work.”However, the Minister noted that it has been observed that there are some areas that are not yet covered with the Fast Track Initiative. According to him,NCAA Basketball Jerseys, many persons have been trained in this regard, and several more will be trained to deliver the literacy programme, a move which will be sustained, said the Minister.“I have always considered that it is not rocket science,Cheap Jerseys, once people have the right training, even short-term training, they can deliver at certain levels…”The Fast Track Initiative, the Minister noted,Jerseys Wholesale, has already been showing results, adding that by the end of this year an independent evaluation will be carried out.“I want to be reassured that the money being spent by the Government of Guyana is bearing fruit…that there is value for money. It’s no use all of this money being put into the education sector and we don’t have measurement tools to ensure literacy is improving.”Accordingly, the Minister said that he has requested of UNESCO to conduct a national literacy survey in another year or two.In the meantime,NFL Jerseys Supply, he disclosed that the Ministry will seek to monitor the literacy development of students by incorporating an instrument that can be administered by class teachers. But even with the instrument to measure progress,Cheap Jerseys, Baksh speculated that there will be the need for remediation on a continuous basis.“Work has already started through the Ministry’s Monitoring and Evaluation Unit which is headed by Deputy Chief Education Officer, Ms. Donna Chapman. She has gone to the regions and we will go back again, it will be a continuous approach to ensure sustainability to ensure that the remediation is taking place.”And in order to ensure that children indulge in reading exercises every day,Cheap NFL Jerseys, the Minister noted that the education system has incorporated the Literacy Hour which must be engaged by every school.“We have to get it working. This is the problem…It is nothing new. If nothing else, the Ministry’s Managers, the Assistant Chief Education Officer Primary, in particular, must ensure that the Literacy Hour is being delivered and that we give support to the school system. That is the only way I see we can improve the reading skills of our children.”As such, the Minister noted that there is still much work to be done, thus the need for intensified supervision, which he noted the Ministry will not fail to deliver.