Letter to the Editor | Stabroek News - April 25, 2025

Letter to the Editor | Stabroek News - April 25, 2025

"Let us support this forward-thinking policy to move away from the NGSA"

Dear Editor,

I write in support of the Ministry of Education’s consideration to phase out the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA), as recently announced by Minister Priya Manickchand.

For decades, the NGSA has functioned as a high-stakes placement examination determining the academic fate of children as young as eleven. While it served a purpose in an era of limited access to secondary education, that time is rapidly passing. With the ongoing rollout of universal secondary education, bolstered by robust investments in infrastructure, teacher training, curriculum development, and digital inclusion, Guyana is now poised to redefine how opportunity and merit are assessed in our education system.

The transition away from NGSA presents an opportunity to shift from competition and anxiety to inclusion and developmentally appropriate learning. It acknowledges that academic potential cannot be distilled into a two-day exam and that children must be given time and space to grow without the weight of early academic sorting.

Importantly, the Ministry’s intended approach does not eliminate excellence or ambition. Rather, it proposes a dual pathway—where students and parents can still opt for competitive entry into select institutions while removing the systemic pressure of one-size-fits-all testing. This nuanced approach is pragmatic and long overdue.

Moreover, it aligns with global education reforms prioritizing holistic learning environments, social-emotional development, and equitable access for all learners, regardless of geography or background.

Let us support this forward-thinking policy direction. A society that invests in fair and inclusive education invests in its future prosperity.

Yours faithfully,

(Name and address supplied)