Guyana has offered three seats to Barbados in its National Educational Leadership Academy (NELA), a national institution dedicated to the professional development and training of education leaders across all levels of the system. The offer was made on Tuesday as Education Minister Sonia Parag welcomed a delegation from Barbados currently on a study tour of the NELA. According to a brief statement from the Ministry, the visit is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen educational leadership across the Caribbean, with the delegation observing the academy’s model as Barbados explores establishing a similar programme.

“In reaffirming Guyana’s commitment to regional collaboration, Minister Parag committed to have three seats made available to Barbados in the Academy’s second cohort, further fostering knowledge-sharing and capacity building among Caribbean education leaders,” the statement noted. The academy was launched in December 2025 by the Education Ministry, in partnership with the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (UNESCO) International Institute for Educational Planning (IIEP).

Anchored in Guyana’s Education Sector Plan (2021–2025) and supported through a GPE System Transformation Grant, NELA is designed to strengthen instructional leadership, improve resource allocation, and reinforce accountability across Guyana’s decentralised education system from 2025 to 2029. The academy is also designed to address disparities across regions and learner groups by equipping school leaders, district leaders, and instructional leaders with the skills needed to translate policy into meaningful classroom practice. The programme places strong emphasis on equity, ethical leadership, data-informed decision-making, collaboration, and accountability. During the launch, it was reported that the academy’s first cohort will participate in an 18-month blended learning programme, combining theory and practice, mentoring and applied leadership projects tailored to real school and district challenges. Participants will focus on improving teaching quality, strengthening school culture and expanding learning opportunities for all students, particularly those in hinterland and riverain communities.