Trip to Bartica with Diaspora Volunteers

On 3rd February 2008 I got up at the ungodly hour of 4-30am (well, it's not so ungodly when in Guyana) to set off to Bartica (Region 7) with two Diaspora Vlunteers from Canada. The Diaspora are people who left the country some time ago and return from time to time.

The purpose of the trip was to visit schools and deliver a workshop on "Motivating Teachers". I was their guide and advisor. I had been for a fact finding mission and needs assessment in November. The two volunteers were Peter Jaillal (Story Teller and Poet) and Bharat Mathoo (Management Specialist). Both were from the Toronto Region in Canada and had left the country in the middle 60s.

The first day was spent in orientation in three or four schools and meeting the staff of the education office.

The workshop the next day went well and Heads worked on ways of motivating their staff and including it in their School Improvement Plans.

The following day we met the Regional Executive Officer (the big chief of Region 7), had a follow up with the Education Office Staff and I appraised them of the new regulations relating to monitoring and evaluation in schools and Senior Leadership Teams (my work related to the proposed Education Act. Another school visit followed and a workshop with staff (on my own this time, followed by Banga Mary and plantain chips at the local chippy (nothing like an English chippy!).

My work was done and Bharat and Peter were to stay for a few more days to do follow ups in schools and I set off at 5am on the speedboat back to Parika and then Georgetown for a days work.

To see all of the pictures in a slideshow, click on the picture below.