THE Ministry of Education has reported that over 5,000 public and private school teachers have registered and 1,700 are currently engaged in training to deliver online learning.

The ministry launched the training in response to calls from teachers across the country for assistance to deliver online education.
“I am happy to report that from then to now, we had 5,034 teachers registered as of three days ago… and 1,700 actively on the platform,” Education Minister, Priya Manickchand, said during Wednesday’s budget estimates.
The minister castigated the previous administration for failing to implement the programme and minimise learning losses during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.

She said while most countries in the Caribbean have completed training their teachers, and Guyana is playing catch-up.
“The reason nothing happened in [those] five months when other Caribbean countries were scrambling to serve their people, has to lay on the feet of the former minister,” Minister Manickchand said.

The 100-hour programme is facilitated by the ministry in partnership with the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the ProFuturo Foundation. It will provide teachers with the necessary knowledge and ICT skills to teach in virtual classrooms across various platforms.
The programme started on August 15 countrywide with special access measures for hinterland teachers. (DPI)