GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC — The Guyana government is rolling out a multi-year strategy to improve mathematics performance across the education system, with a strong focus on teacher training and early literacy and numeracy assessments.
Minister of Education Sonia Parag said the plan, to be implemented over the next five years, aims to deliver sustained improvements in student outcomes, while reinforcing ongoing preparations for key examinations such as the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).
Central to the strategy is strengthening how mathematics is taught, including a review of training at the Cyril Potter College of Education.
“We need to look and see what they’re being taught, how they’re being taught, and how that is going to translate into the classroom. Delivery is important,” Minister Parag said in a recent interview.
The initiative also places renewed emphasis on foundational skills, with the ministry launching its first-ever literacy assessment program for Grades Two and Four in 2026, aimed at ensuring all pupils are literate by Grade Four. A similar numeracy assessment is scheduled to be introduced in 2027.
Parag said these measures will build on the Mathematics Intervention Program, launched in 2024 for Grades 10 and 11 students, which has already shown modest gains. The program contributed to a 32 percent pass rate in 2025, representing a five-percentage-point improvement in performance.
The intervention includes targeted teacher support through Math Monitors, distribution of past examination papers and scientific calculators, and expanded access to schools in hinterland regions.
“Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine gained about 18 Math monitors from the program,” Parag said, noting that students in remote areas are also benefiting from improved access to digital learning tools, including smart boards.
The government has also introduced several complementary initiatives, including the launch of the Guyana Digital School in December 2025, which provides free online access to NGSA and CSEC lessons, and “Maths Tents”, a new outreach model offering focused, in-person instruction for students.
The Maths Tents bring together students from multiple schools and target key problem areas identified through assessment data, such as fractions, consumer arithmetic, and construction.
Parag said the sessions are led by specially selected educators rather than students’ regular teachers, offering fresh approaches to explaining core concepts while helping to reduce exam anxiety.
With continued investment in these initiatives, the minister said the government is confident that mathematics outcomes will improve significantly over the next five years.
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