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~Acting Head of DPE replaced by Guyanese national, ~ management team insulted in the meeting. ~

PHILIPSBURG: ---  Civil Servants working in the Department of Education are expressing concern over what is described as a rift between the management team and the Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sports Rodolphe Samuel.
The members of the management team had requested a meeting with the Minister to discuss communication, capacity, management, motivation, and the working environment some weeks ago. SMN News learned that the Minister met with the civil servants on March 17th but allegedly he insulted the staff instead of bringing solutions to their problems and concerns.
On April 19th, 2021, the Minister of ECYS dispatched a letter to Acting Secretary General Shermina Powell Richardson informing her that he has taken the decision to relieve Ms. Marcella Henry of her responsibilities as Acting Head of the Department of Education and have appointed Mr. Daison Marks as the Acting Head of the DPE. It should be noted that Mr. Marks is a national of Guyana and his appointment has raised concerns among many within the civil service.
Certain politicians have also posted the new developments within the Ministry of ECYS on Facebook where a discussion is ongoing on social media. One of the points of concern is the fact that locals that have held the position as acting head for a number of years are not being considered for the permanent position to head the department of education. While the Minister chose to replace Ms. Henry, he again appointed another acting head, instead of pooling his resources among locals that are highly qualified for the position, or even publishing the position so that a qualified department head could be hired.
It should be noted that the former Council of Ministers (NA/USP/DP) had taken a decision to privatize the Division of Public Education, back then under the former Minister of ECYS Silveria Jacobs the Council of Ministers wanted to form a ZBO which would have given the Minister ECYS much more involved in the curriculum and programming. It is understood that the former Minister of ECYS Wycliffe Smith also worked on the privatization, however, such cooperation was not received from the staff of the Division of Public Education.
SMN News further understands that the former Council of Ministers and Minister of EYCS did not publish the position to hire a head instead they allowed Ms. Marcella Henry to remain in the acting position until the privatization process is completed.
So far, it is not clear if the current Minister of ECYS will move ahead with the privatization for the division of public education especially since the former Minister of ECYS that took the decision is now the Prime Minister of the current cabinet Jacobs 2.

 SMN News contacted the Minister of ECYS Rodolphe Samuel for a comment on the appointment of Mr. Marks. The Minister said he does not have any comments to make at this time, since the letter in his opinion is self-explanatory.

Read letters between staff of ECYS and Minister Samuel.