More focus to be placed on PE in schools – CEO

Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain has pledged a renewed emphasis on physical play and sports education in Guyana’s school system, highlighting it as a critical component of student development.
Speaking at an event to mark the International Day of Play, Hussain noted a concerning trend: as children progress from nursery to secondary school, play gradually disappears from their educational experience—a shift he says must be reversed.
Referencing research from the University of California, Hussain cited alarming statistics on social media usage among youth. Nine-year-olds reportedly average seven minutes a day, while by age 17, that balloons to nearly six hours. This, he said, is phasing out time for vital physical play and putting children’s health and development at risk.

In response, the CEO outlined several concrete steps already taken by the Ministry of Education to systematically integrate play into learning. These include the introduction of a play-based nursery curriculum, the addition of “Beyond Core” periods in primary schools that allow for unstructured outdoor activity, and the hiring of sports coaches rather than academic teachers to facilitate active play in secondary schools.
“So primary school – there is a beyond core period that means you can do anything. You can catch the grasshoppers. You can pick the leaves. All of that counts because all of that has been play. So, there are five periods per week where play can be done.”
“In secondary school, we have put something called the five priorities, and one of those priorities is, of course, a sport. Learning to participate, to perform in a sport. Now this is not an academic pursuit. This is not something that you have to learn and get the scientific skills in it. This is something that you go out and you play”.
“Students need to play,” Hussain stated bluntly. “And play should be part of their education—not an afterthought.”
Additionally, Hussain announced that from the next academic year, trained Physical Education (PE) teachers will no longer be diverted to teach subjects like Business or Accounts. “If you’re trained in PE, you must teach PE,” he affirmed.
The Ministry is also committed to constructing tarmacs in every school to ensure dedicated physical spaces for play. Hussain called for the Cyril Potter College of Education to integrate play more fully into its teacher training methodology, insisting that play must be embedded—not merely supplemental—to classroom practice.
Also at the event was the University of Guyana’s Vice Chancellor, Paloma Mohamed-Martin, who emphasized the importance of recreation in learning.
“So, my mom was a nursery school teacher – in fact a headmistress, for many, many years of her life. And I learned a lot from her because she was big into play and into creativity. So, every single year for Mashramani, my entire family would be helping to paint the floats, helping to fund the costumes, helping to push something down the road. Every poetry competition, every song competition, everything; she was there. And she was a firm believer – she’s still alive – a firm believer in play,” Mohamed said.
This year, International Day of Play was observed under the theme “Choose play – everyday” highlighting the critical role of play in the overall development of children, especially in contexts of displacement and increased vulnerability.