Former Chief Education Officer (CEO), Olato Sam has been appointed Education Specialist to the Ministry of Education.
The administrator’s contract as CEO was not renewed back in August 2016 by the Coalition Government, forcing Sam’s departure from the Ministry.
Then Minister of Education, Dr Rupert Roopnaraine, was quoted by the Government Information Agency (GINA) as saying that the decision to replace Sam was one aimed at ensuring the proper execution of the Ministry’s policies.
A recent release from the Education Ministry, now headed by Priya Manickchand, said that Sam has been an educator, administrator and leader in the education fraternity with over 25 years of service in the field.
“His leadership abilities have effectively organized, directed and enhanced education systems, institutions, policy structures and programs in various institutions,” the Ministry noted.
Further, it stated that Sam holds a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Sociology, Anthropology and Education from Swarthmore College, Pennsylvania; a Master’s Degree in International Education / Concentration in Latin America and Caribbean Studies from New York University. He is now a Ph.D Candidate of the University of the West Indies, Mona Jamaica where his thesis on Education Policy and Planning is under examination.
Meanwhile, a new Director of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD).
Quenita Walrond- Lewis will take up that post on October 1, 2020.
Walrond-Lewis is an Education Consultant and Project Manager by profession and has worked with the Ministry of Education (Guyana) to action positive change and development across the three key levels (Nursery, Primary, and Secondary), the Ministry said.
“In her work in Early Childhood Development (ECD) she has built critical linkages with other governmental and non-governmental ECD stakeholders in Guyana, as well as the regional CARICOM ECD working group. She also liaises with key stakeholders within the Ministry of Education both centrally and regionally to inform decisions about the execution of Education initiatives nationwide,” a release stated.
Walrond- Lewis holds a Hons. BSc, Psychology and a Masters of Arts in Child Study and Education from the University of Toronto. She has successfully worked with learners from Pre-Kindergarten to University levels.
