Programme underway to expand ICT in schools countrywide
DIRECTOR of the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Mr. Mohandatt Goolsarran said yesterday that the Education Sector is in a state of readiness for the expansion of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

He said ICT is a key component of the Education Ministry’s five-year strategic plan and the groundwork is being set for massively expanding it.

Goolsarran said, in 2009, a number of initiatives were undertaken to introduce the technology into the school environment, including the identification of 45 primary schools to be equipped with laboratory facilities.

“Teachers were routinely trained and the programme monitored and evaluated,” he reported.

Goolsarran said, as part of the training, nursery and primary schools teachers, in five education districts, were coursed in the use of ‘Jolly Phonics’ computer software.

In addition, under the ongoing ‘Computer for Schools Project’, approximately 200 teachers received one week tutelage in basic computer literacy.

Goolsarran said they were required to complete three modules before being certified as computer literate.

“This was done for free and the basic competency course was open to all teachers,” he informed.

ONLINE SUPPORT & GLOBAL LITERACY
Goolsarran said that to bolster the training, the institution’s website, www.ncerd.gy provides online support to teachers in accessing information, curriculum guides and other teaching support materials.

“To date there have been about 1,500 hits to the website and the feedback is encouraging,” he reported.

Goolsarran lauded the partner agencies for their support of NCERD’s strides to keep abreast of the technological era.

One of those he mentioned is Global Partnership for Literacy (Global Literacy), which undertook a project through which five schools each received 30 computer systems with corresponding laboratory paraphernalia.

Global Literacy, a Canadian non-profit organisation (NFO), is working with the Ministry of Education on a project aimed at computerising all secondary schools in Guyana.

The undertaking, dubbed as the SchoolNet Guyana programme, is computer-based and the objective is to integrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in approximately 120 secondary schools, targeting 95,000 students, countrywide.
The scheme has five key elements:
* System wide ICT infrastructure: a lab in each school, consisting of a small LAN of 25-35 Pentium 4 computers, Internet connection and video projection;

* Professional development: training for approximately 3,500 teachers in computers and computer-aided instructions, so they can integrate ICT into the curriculum;

* Digital content: assist the Ministry to develop online content and access to information on Guyana for educational purposes that is a Google on Guyana, including a local digital library, consisting of Government information, historical and current reports, research papers, etc;

* Software: assist the Ministry in securing software that improves the delivery of education and increases the efficiency of its management system (student management software, distance learning and digital delivery modules), and

* ICT dissemination: collaborating with the Education Ministry, Government and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to develop programmes that extend the benefits of ICT beyond the classroom, more specifically through a series of community kiosks across the country to the Internet, provide after school programmes, distance learning modules and serve, generally, as internet cafés.

Global Literacy, the principal sponsor, is a Diaspora-based NGO spearheaded by a board of well qualified individuals from academia, the social sciences, business, engineering, technology and project management, with on-the-ground support from the Ministry of Education.

ENCOURAGING FEEDBACK
Goolsarran, meanwhile, in alluding to the increasing assistance from different organisations and individuals, said the feedback, particularly from overseas-based stakeholders, is encouraging.

“We are making an impact. Our overseas friends have been kept informed of our progress and know what is happening in the system. They send materials to help us,” he disclosed.

About advancements in 2010, Goolsarran said, primary amongst the plans in the pipeline, is the furnishing of a new multimedia centre.

He said equipment for it has been procured and training sessions are expected to commence soon, once the technical personnel are employed.

In an effort to provide additional teacher training, Goolsarran said a new Information Technology (IT) laboratory was recently commissioned.

He said teachers from 86 secondary schools have derived benefit from it and they are involved in preparing students to sit IT and Electronic Document and Preparation Management (EDPM) examinations.

He said the response from some schools to the adaptation and introduction of ICT is gradual but much faster in others.

SUPPORT BASE
According to him, this variation is due to the support base of the school, for example a school’s adaptation depends on the contribution of the Parent Teachers Association (PTA).

NCERD statistics show that, at the nursery level, 12 schools have computer facilities in Georgetown, Regions One (Barima/Waini), Six (East Berbice/Corentyne) and Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni).

At the primary level, there are 145 schools with computers in all eleven of the education districts, the 10 Administrative Regions and the city.

Of these, Goolsarran said, approximately 45 have been identified to be equipped with mini-computer laboratories.

At the secondary level, he noted that 88 schools have similar facilities and there is much community based support and in those in remote regions are primary tops.

Goolsarran said television programmes have been developed by NCERD and made available to schools in the form of DVDs.

He also revealed that “teachers in our special training programme each received a personalised package to ensure they grow and are able to better deliver the content of the curriculum.”

There is, presently, a continuing programme to make sure that ICT is available at all levels in the school system.

“More and more schools are offering it and this is an achievement. We have to build from here,” Goolsarran said.