AS the education system prepares students to be productive members of society, more attention than ever before has to be placed on the integration of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the teaching and learning process. Undoubtedly, this move is critical to the drive to equip learners with the knowledge and skills they need in the 21st century.
Much to the credit of the Ministry of Education, this process has already started with the training of some 2,800 teachers in the school system to use the computer as a teaching and learning tool. Encouragingly too, the training has been regionalised and according to Education Minister Shaik Baksh, the aim this year is to train at least 1,500 teachers.
The integration of technology and education provides students with a global approach to learning and communicating and the computer in this context serves as a vital resource for students and teachers of inclusive classrooms, allowing  the diverse needs and varying ability levels of the former to be met.
It is against this backdrop that the current partnership between the Ministry of Education, the Commonwealth of Learning (COL) and Microsoft to implement plans to develop the capacity of local teachers to use technology more effectively in the classroom demonstrates a bold and positive step in this direction.
Through the existing partnership, the Commonwealth Secretariat has already developed a roadmap to implement UNESCO’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Competence Framework for Teachers, an internationally recognized framework that provides clear pathways for teachers to develop their ability to use computers effectively to support teaching and learning.
The collaboration between the stated agencies will see the completion of several essential activities in the next six months, namely , the development of a new set of training modules for teachers; a thorough review of two key components of the ICT in Education Initiative; a comprehensive audit of the current capacity of Guyana’s teachers to use ICT effectively; working with global   partners to secure international accreditation for these training modules and the implementation of a robust, three-tiered governance model
Certainly, the work emanating from this partnership could not have come at a more opportune time as the Ministry of Education intensifies efforts to train more teachers in this area, increase the number of students sitting the subject at the CSEC examinations and the government prepares to roll out its One Lap Top per Family Programme(OLPFP).
The OLTPFP, a highly laudable initiative, will significantly aid the learning and knowledge-deepening process, open up positive entrepreneurial opportunities for young people and further bridge the digital divide to name a few of the wide-ranging benefits to be derived.
World over, ICT is regarded as an important driver of national development and here in Guyana, the government has fully embraced this vision and unmistakably, the OLTPFP stands out as a towering testimony. Rightfully too, this area is being treated as a major plank of the ministry’s 2008-2013 Education Strategic Plan.
The ministry in the Strategic Plan is hoping to equip all secondary schools and 50 per cent of primary schools with IT laboratories by 2013.
It is highly encouraging that to date, work on 70 of 110 secondary schools has been completed and Minister Baksh has given the assurance that the remainder will be completed this year. Also, some 60 primary schools have already been equipped with IT laboratories and another 40 will be outfitted this year.
Moreover, the government in keeping with its vision for ICT has approved some US$1.4M for the purchase of computers for secondary schools and the Global Partnership for Literacy (GPL) has made a commitment to install systems in 50 schools. From reports, every secondary school will be equipped with at least 30 computers.
What is important too  to note is that concomitant with these developments is the need for the teaching profession to evolve from a teacher-centred approach, lecture- based instructions to student-centred interactive learning environments to better facilitate learning.
Again, to the credit of the Ministry of Education, this process has started with the establishment of child-friendly schools, more particularly, the clarion call and the continuous supportive effort on its part to aid teachers in the use of effective strategies of delivery in the classroom.