By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
More than 100 educators and district-level education leaders across Guyana will benefit from the newly launched National Education Leadership Academy (NELA), an initiative designed to strengthen leadership in the education sector and improve learning outcomes nationwide.
The programme was officially launched on Monday at the Pegasus Corporate Suites in Georgetown by the Ministry of Education. NELA is designed to enhance leadership capacity at both the district and school levels, equipping education professionals with the skills needed to manage modern classrooms and respond to emerging challenges in the sector.
The initiative is supported by the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). According to the Ministry, approximately 20 percent of the programme’s beneficiaries will be educators from hinterland communities, ensuring inclusive national participation.
Chief Education Officer at the Ministry of Education, Saddam Hussain, said NELA will play a critical role in helping educators develop effective leadership strategies, particularly in hybrid learning environments. He emphasized that accountability and the delivery of quality education remain central goals of the programme.
Hussain also highlighted that NELA will address pressing social challenges within schools, including bullying. He noted that the academy will conduct ongoing research to identify leadership-related issues in schools and provide targeted training throughout the year to help educators respond effectively when such matters arise.
Minister of Education Sonia Parag described NELA as a flagship leadership training programme delivered through a blended learning approach. She stressed that as digital technologies continue to evolve, the Ministry is committed to ensuring that teachers—especially those in hinterland and remote communities—are prepared to adapt to these changes.
Minister Parag further explained that the Ministry’s current strategic plan prioritizes leadership development as a cornerstone of education reform. While infrastructure, curriculum development, and technology remain important, she emphasized that people—powerful educational leaders—are essential to driving meaningful and lasting transformation within the system.
Several local and international stakeholders delivered remarks at the launch, including representatives from UNESCO’s International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP), the Inter-American Development Bank, the Global Partnership for Education, and members of the NELA Steering Committee. Their participation underscored the initiative’s collaborative nature and its importance to Guyana’s long-term education development agenda.
The National Education Leadership Academy is expected to play a pivotal role in building a more decisive, more accountable, and forward-looking education leadership framework across Guyana.
