Minister Parag, GCOPD head discuss expanding special needs education

On Tuesday, Hon. Sonia Parag, Minister of Education, met with Mr. Ganesh Singh, head of the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), to discuss the continuation and potential expansion of the Remedial Education programme for persons with special needs.

The programme was launched to support persons with disabilities who were previously unable to complete formal schooling. The first cohort saw seven students progress to sit for the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examination, fully funded by the Government of Guyana through the Ministry of Education.

Minister Parag described the programme as a key part of the government’s push for inclusivity across all sectors in Guyana. “The Government is committed to ensuring that all regions are equipped with Special Education Needs (SEN) centres,” she said, noting major improvements are expected over the next five years.

Singh praised the initiative’s success, highlighting the transformative impact on participants.

The continued and expanded programme will provide more persons with physical, hearing, vision, and mild intellectual disabilities the skills and knowledge to gain meaningful employment, pursue higher education, and access government opportunities.

Also attending the meeting were Chief Education Officer Mr. Saddam Hussain; Assistant Chief Education Officer for Special Education Needs and Disabilities, Dr. Keon Cheong; and Programme Officer of the GCOPD, Ms. Shannon Forsythe.

Photo: D'Andre Kirton