NON-STATE ACTORS IN EDUCATION
2.2 Non-state education provision
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
- Early childhood care and education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Primary and secondary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
- Tertiary education (Entry/Establishment ○ Financial operation ○ Quality of teaching and learning ○ Equitable access ○ Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability)
3.3 Supplementary private tutoring
The Education Bill 2014 regulates providers at all education levels from pre-primary to secondary education. According to the Education Bill 2014, a private educational institution is defined as an educational institution provided and maintained by any person or authority other than the Government.
2.1 State education provision
State schools
In Guyana, the education system is divided into nursery, primary (6 years from ages 5 and six months to 11 and six months) and secondary (from ages 11 and six months under 19 years) education. Compulsory education lasts 12 years from nursery (3 and 6 months) to lower secondary (15 and 6 months).
Non-state managed, state schools
No information was found.
Non-state funded, state schools
No information was found.
2.2 Non-state education provision
Independent, non-state schools
Private schools in Guyana are those own, manage, and financed by private actors including individuals, legal persons, corporations, and non-governmental organizations. According to GPE information on private educational institutions is non-existent since these schools are not represented in formal education and are not controlled in the Education Statistics Reports.
State-funded (government-aided), non-state schools
No information was found.
Contracted, non-state schools
No information was found.
2.3 Other types of schools
Homeschooling
No information was found regarding homeschooling in the legislation. However, the Ministry of Education provides links with resources for homeschoolers from pre-school to secondary education.
Market contracted (Voucher schools)
No information was found.
Unregistered/Unrecognised schools
No information was found.
The Ministry of Education is responsible for overseen pre-school, primary, secondary, and tertiary education at a national level.
At a regional level, the Regional Democratic Councils through the Regional Education Departments are responsible for the management and supervision of education in each region. The Chief Education Officer and/or staff of the Regional Education Department are responsible for the authorization and inspection of the private educational institutions.
3.1 Regulations by distinct levels of education
The Ministry of Social Protection is responsible for Early Childhood and Day Care centres in Guyana. The main regulatory framework for both non-state and public Childcare and Development Services are Childcare and Development Services Act (2011) The Regulations on the Childcare and Development Service Act (2016).
Registration and approval: Any individual or legal person including companies, corporations, and non-governmental organizations who aims at providing childcare and development services (ECD) must apply to the Childcare and Protection Agency. All applicants must comply with the minimum service standards which include premises, group size and adult-child ration requirements. Upon applying, the Agency will determine the maximum number of children who may enrol at a specific centre. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Licence: See Multi-level regulations.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: According to the Value-Added Tax Act private educational services provided by private educational institutions are exempt from the Value Added Tax. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: The Regulations on the Childcare and Development Service Act (2016) provides learning standards that all ECD provides must comply with such role-play activities, opportunities for child-initiated activities, diverse learning materials and developmental achievements. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Teaching profession: All ECD service facilities staff must possess training and certification in early childhood care, education and development according to the level they will be providing. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Fee-setting: No information was found.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Policies for vulnerable groups: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Reporting requirements: According to the Childcare and Development Services Act (2011) an authorized person by the Ministry of Social Protection may enter the ECD centre premises in order to inspect and access compliance with the regulations and services being provided by the ECD centre. In addition, ECD providers must keep a record with information regarding the children.
Inspection: Government’s authorized personnel are authorized to inspect non-state day-care facilities premises to determine that regulations’ standards are being complied with by day-care facilities providers.
Child assessment: No information was found.
Sanctions: See Multi-level regulations.
Registration and approval: See Multi-level regulations.
Licence: See Multi-level regulations.
WASH: For a private education institution to be granted an authorization permit they must attest adequate sanitary facilities and proper drinking water facilities in the institution, as well as complying with the same health care and sanitary arrangements established by the public health authorities for the public educational institutions.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: See Multi-level regulations.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: See Multi-level regulations.
Textbooks and learning materials: No information was found.
Teaching profession: See Multi-level regulations.
Corporal punishment: According to the Education Bill (2014) the Minister with the Advisory Committee may make regulations on the discipline of students and instruments that may be used for corporal punishment in private educational institutions. (Art. 123 b). Corporal punishment is legal in public education institutions.
Other safety measures and COVID-19: No information was found.
Fee-setting: No information was found.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Policies for vulnerable groups: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
School board: See Multi-level regulations.
Reporting requirements: See Multi-level regulations.
School inspection: No information was found.
Student assessment: No information was found.
Diplomas and degrees: No information was found.
Sanctions: See Multi-level regulations.
Registration and approval: According to the National Accreditation Council of Guyana (NAC-G) any Higher Education Institution (HEIs) provider must be registered in order to operate in Guyana. Providers can be an individual, a body of persons or an institution but must be organized as a legal entity before submitting the registration application at the NAC-G. All application must be accompanied with a prescribed application fee and the required documentation to ensure compliance with the seven areas of assessment which includes: Legal, Policy and Regulatory Requirements, Governance and Administration, Quality Management System, Resource Management, Teaching-Learning Process, Review and Continuous Improvements. The process culminates with a site visit for the Evaluation Committee to ensure compliance with the requirements and write an Evaluation Report. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Licence: Upon approval and paying a certification fee the HEIs will be issued a Certificate of Registration for a period of three years after which they can apply for re-registration to be granted Continuing Registered Status and will be placed on the Register of Post-secondary and Tertiary institutions. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Profit-making: No information was found.
Taxes and subsidies: According to the Value-Added Tax Act private educational services provided by private educational institutions are exempt from the Value Added Tax. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: No information was found.
Teaching profession: No information was found regarding the qualification requirements of the teaching, administrative or supporting staff. However, providers must submit all staff information regarding qualifications intended courses to dictate.
Fee-setting: No information was found.
Admission selection and processes: No information was found.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Board: See Multi-level regulations.
Reporting requirements: See Multi-level regulations.
Inspection: No information was found.
Assessment: No information was found.
Diplomas and degrees: No information was found.
Sanctions: No information was found.
3.2 Multi-level regulations
This section covers regulations on the establishment, operation, and quality of non-state institutions from pre-primary to secondary education level.
Registration and approval: According to the Education Bill (2014) the creation of a private school by an individual, partnership, company or NGO is subject to state approval. Every provider must submit an application to the Ministry of Education accompanied by a prescribed fee and the required documentation. Once the application is submitted, a state inspection of the premises will follow to assess their suitability for educational purposes. The Ministry of Education will dictate a favourable resolution when satisfied with the educational plan, furniture and equipment, sanitary facilities regarding the number, ages and gender of the students, adequate human and material resources. All private educational institutions must possess a general liability insurance policy to be authorized. In addition, neither the proprietor nor the principal must have been convicted or plead guilty to an offence under the education bill or in relation to operating an educational institution in the five years preceding the application. Based on the capacity of the facilities, the Ministry of Education may determine the maximum number of students to be enrolled in an educational institution.
Licence: Once approval for the establishment has been granted the private education institution will be added to the Private Institutions Register and a permit will be issued for a period of three academic years. A permit may be renewed for a successive period of three years after applying for renewal and meeting all the minimum requirements.
Taxes and subsidies: According to the Value-Added Tax Act private educational services provided by private educational institutions are exempt from the Value Added Tax.
Quality of teaching and learning
Curriculum and education standards: All private schools must follow the national core curriculum and comply with the non-academic standards. S
Teaching profession: According to the Education Bill (2014), all teachers employed in a private education institution must possess at least the same minimum educational qualifications as required for a teacher to be employed in a public school. If a teacher is found to be unfit by not possessing the minimum educational qualifications, the Chief Education Officer may declare that the person cannot be employed in a private educational institution. Furthermore, all schools must submit on annual basis to the Ministry of Education the names and qualifications of all teaching and other staff members. For more information, see Multi-level regulations.
Quality assurance, monitoring and accountability
Board: According to the Education Bill (2014) a private school owner has management autonomy and may appoint a board to assist and advise on management and governance of the institution and a Parent-Teacher Association.
Reporting requirements: The Minister or the Chief Education officer or any authorized person by the Ministry of Education may enter the premises of a private educational institution during school hours to inspect the facilities to verify compliance with the regulations.
Sanctions: The Ministry of Education may revoke the permit from a private school when the private educational institutions no longer comply with the Education Bill regulations and requirements for authorization. Proprietors may also voluntarily request the permit to be revoked.
3.3 Supplementary private tutoring
No information was found.
Financial operation and quality
No information was found.
No information was found.
