As part of its transformative plans to make Guyana a centre for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) the Government of Guyana is encouraging Guyanese to register for the 150k Guyana Coders Initiative (GCI).
A press release yesterday from the Department of Information [DPI] said that this initiative aims to teach Guyanese the necessary skills to work as IT technicians, systems administrators, cyber security analysts, and other related positions which include animation, website creation, and software engineering. A certificate will be issued upon completion of the programme and will be recognised by the UAE. The chance to compete in regional and national coding competitions will be available to students. Top performers will also receive cash awards. Students can register to study the course of their choosing at no cost and take online classes to earn a professional software development certification.
Persons can visit www.guyanacoders.gov.gy to enroll.
The DPI release said that the GCI will be an ongoing programme for Guyanese across the country, and that for the next three years, 150,000 Guyanese 14 years and older will receive free instruction in the fundamentals of computer coding. This GCI programme, according to DPI, aligns with government’s which aims to transform the nation into a hub for data services, data centres, and data banks.
The initiative, according to the DPI, was launched by President Irfaan Ali in December 2022 which partners the GoG with the United Arab Emirates (UAE). DPI posits that this programme will strengthen the existing commerce and technological ties that exist between the two nations. Following a number of meetings, workshops, and high-level field visits with leaders of both countries, the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed in March 2022.
During the launch, President Ali highlighted that this initiative will position Guyana as a key player in the global technology market. “Today is important, it is about what Guyana 2030 will be and must be. The next eight years are very important years for Guyana, we are starting way behind the race, and if we are to adjust ourselves in this race in a straight-line manner, we will be way behind for decades to come…This step is about you taking our country forward in 2030 and beyond, ensuring that you are competitive, resilient, functional… ensuring that we as a country have the tools that will take us forward, and our economy is among the strongest,” President Ali highlighted during the launch.
Additionally, the president declared that Guyana would be prepared to serve as a centre where members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) could gain from the initiative in the future.
Coding typically involves the devising of software to instruct computers.
