As the new school year began virtually for many students across the country, the Ministry of Education rolled out programmes on the Guyana Learning Channel to reach those students who cannot access the internet.
A number of programmes specifically aimed at educating learners from the nursery to secondary levels were aired on the Guyana Learning Channel.
The programme guide was advertised prior to broadcast.
Additionally, teachers who could engage with their students through online means, including Zoom and WhatsApp, were encouraged to interact with their students.
As a way to know whether children were taking advantage of the ministry’s initiative, parents were encouraged to post videos and photos of their children’s interaction.
The move to continue educating students without having them return to their classrooms was a difficult one, which the Ministry of Education spent months considering. After many meetings with stakeholders, the Minister of Education Priya Manickchand announc-ed that schools would be reopening virtually. However, a definite date for this reopening was not announced until last Friday.
After schools closed on March 17th due to the first COVID-19 case detected in the country, many teachers continued to engage with their students through whatever means were available to them.
Manickchand has said that much more has to be considered as it relates to getting the Learning Channel to broadcast in as many regions as possible alongside other provisions needed for those who would not be able to engage through either television, radio or any other device. The ministry decided that in order for these students to be able to continue learning, workbooks and worksheets would be made available for them. Manickchand, during a virtual press conference on Friday, said that the print material would be delivered to the students who need it during this week.
Nursery packages which will have the necessary working tools for those children will also be presented to the nursery level students in the weeks to come, the minister has assured.
