Guyanese Education
Educational System
Guyana has free education for all children. As a result, Guyana has a literacy rate of 99%, the highest in South America. Attendance is compulsory for children between the ages of 5 and 14 years old. Schools are public, not private. There are 6 years of primary school and 5 years of secondary education. The standards are very different from those in the U.S. In our opinion, they are much lower in Guyana. The grading system is practically the same. Parents place a high value on their child’s education. Some students choose to leave school before graduation so they can attend a vocational institute, which focuses on electrical or carpentry skills.The opportunity to go to college depends on the family’s finances.
School Day
Students go to school five days a week from 8:00-2:00. They eat lunch at home or in school. Every day they say prayers in school and recite the pledge at an assembly outside. Students wear uniforms, black sneakers, and badges that they must show at the school gate. Teachers move from class to class, while students stay in one place. Guyanese students study the same subjects as American students, including English, math, science, and social studies. However, high school students also choose a major, like agriculture, arts and crafts, home economics, or industrial arts. The Guyanese government recently banned the use of cell phones during the school day because it disrupts the learning process.
Student-Teacher Relationship
It is acceptable to make eye contact with teachers. Teachers in Guyana don’t generally provide extra help, but some of them charge students money to stay after school. Teachers can send students home for being rude. We get lashings for not doing homework. Teachers use tree branches, pieces of wood, rulers, or their hands to hit students who misbehave. Other punishments include kneeling in front of the class. It is common to suffer injuries from corporal punishment in school.
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