Guyana’s first digital school, which is an online platform designed to provide students with access to learning materials, was launched on Friday.

The platform is expected to transform education delivery through technology and digital learning tools and will also be available to students in the Caribbean.

During the launch, President Irfaan Ali said the platform is to ensure equal education access and to ensure that high-quality lessons are available to all students. Among other things, the aim of the digital school is to bridge the educational gaps, particularly for students in remote areas who may not have access to extra lessons.

“This digital school is not simply an educational project, it is a national development project, it is a regional development project, it is an economic transformation project, it is a survival and prosperity project for Guyana and the CARICOM region and it is rooted in one simple truth, the world has changed and is changing faster than any other time before human history, “ the President noted.

Noting that the future of education is digital, the President said the online platform will not replace teachers or reduce in-person learning, but will supplement what is being taught in school and will also expand and enhance learning.

The President said with Guyana’s vast Geography where education could be uneven, the school is a tool for equality.

The President also said with Guyana’s geography where education access is uneven, the digital school is a tool for equality since it will bridge the education divide.

“If we do not begin now to bridge that gap and if we do not do so decisively, deliberately and consistently our children inherit not opportunity but dependence , they will be consumers of the digital world not creators, they will be passengers and not drivers. Our intention for Guyana and this region is to build drivers and not passengers, we cannot compete and be the best we can be if we settle ourselves to be passengers all of our lives,” the President stated.

Education Minister, Sonia Parag, who also delivered remarks said the school will position Guyana as a leader in digital education and will also empower students to learn at their own pace.

“Our children can move through technology with ease which tells us that they are ready for a world that rewards curiosity, confidence and adaptability. Our job now is to make sure the education system keeps pace, not by demonizing technology but by adopting it responsibly and deliberately. The Guyana Digital school is one of the ways, we will achieve this target,” the Education Minister said.

Prime Minister of Grenada, Dickon Mitchell, who addressed the ceremony virtually, said the school is a timely intervention for the wider region and said it provide a platform for the region’s students to be on par with the rest of the world.

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