Ministry of Education, GTU at loggerheads over reshaping ‘Nationals’
FLASHBACK! District 10 celebrating their 20th overall title and seventh consecutive victory at the conclusion of the 2023 National Schools Championship. (Photo: Rawle Toney)
– No word on 2024 National School’s Championships
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur Sports – A cloud of uncertainty looms over the 2024 National Schools Cycling, Swimming, and Athletics Championship as the Ministry of Education and the Guyana Teachers’ Union (GTU) engage in intense discussions over a proposal to revamp the historic event.
Sources suggest that the Ministry, through its Allied Arts Department, is proposing to restructure the championship’s traditional format, with plans to hold the event in March instead of the usual November-December period.
The change, sources told Kaieteur News, is aimed at aligning the competition with several regional and international sports events, particularly in swimming, athletics, and cycling.
One significant element of the proposal is the possibility of hosting the athletics segment of the championship in a style similar to that of other countries participating in the CARIFTA Games.
Guyana is the only CARIFTA Games participant that holds its national schools’ track and field competition nearly six months before the prestigious regional event, while most other countries—such as Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Bermuda, St. Lucia, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, and Dominica—schedule their championships in March.
In fact, Guyana’s 2023 National Schools Championship was held from November 26 to December 1.
Despite the Ministry’s push for change, the GTU has expressed concerns about the potential impact on students, particularly those preparing for major exams like the Common Entrance and the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC).
The timing of the proposed March championship could pose challenges for students juggling both academic and athletic commitments during a critical study period, the GTU argued.
When approached for comment, a GTU official confirmed that talks with the Ministry and the Allied Arts Department are ongoing but stated that the Union will release an official position to the media once a resolution is reached.
The National Schools Cycling, Swimming, and Athletics Championship has long been a symbol of athletic excellence in Guyana for student-athletes, dating back to its inception in 1959.
Over the decades, the event has nurtured countless young talents, with District 10 (Linden) emerging as the dominant force.
Linden’s athletes have captured an astounding 20 titles, maintaining a remarkable winning streak since 2015, with victories in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2023. Their legacy stretches even further, with wins in 1986, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011.
