EVEN before they knew that Guyana would fall victim to the deadly Coronavirus disease, Joel and Shennel Freeman had been working on Guyana Online Learning (GOL), an after-school tuition service that aims to supplement a child’s learning experience via virtual classrooms.

The Freemans were online teachers who had seen firsthand how convenient internet schooling can be for both parents and their children, and so they decided to register GOL in the same month that the pandemic started making waves here in Guyana (March 2020).

At the time that the business idea came to them, they couldn’t yet fully imagine the practical benefits that GOL would eventually bring to its users, and how much their services would be both needed and appreciated.

They were initially thinking that GOL would come in handy for parents who have safety concerns regarding their children. “Since most after-school lessons are conducted later in the afternoons, parents don’t have that extra worry of their children coming home late if they’re already learning in the comfort and safety of their homes,” Joel told Pepperpot Magazine recently.

With the raging pandemic continuing to show its true colours around the world and here in Guyana, Joel and Shennel came to see that their business would now become even more practical and indispensable.

They thus started down a road of careful planning and organising to be able to build a business that would become reliable and trustworthy. In less than a year, they have managed to acquire pupils from all across Guyana, including from the East Coast of Demerara, West and East Berbice, Corentyne, Skeldon, Linden, the East Bank and West Bank of Demerara, Parika, Leguan, and Georgetown.

Managing GOL, with all of its operations being online, is no walk in the park for the Freemans, but they are getting it done with good communication and cooperation. “During the initial stages of setting up, we were privileged to have trained and highly qualified professionals who brought an invaluable amount of expertise and insight that contributed to the smooth and successful operation of our programme. Our experienced teachers are very diligent and committed to helping each student to succeed,” Joel expressed.

In addition to careful planning and good preparation, Joel said running GOL calls for deliberate and consistent follow-through until success is achieved. “We keep our prices at a super affordable rate; our love motivates us to do all we can to provide a service of high quality that meets the gold standard of education,” he said.

He recalled how shortly after getting started, GOL was able to assist students who were preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment last year. “This brought a measure of relief to many parents who registered for our programme. Parents and children who were overseas and unable to travel due to restrictions were also able to benefit,” he said.
Since then, GOL has observed how the kids are always excited to be online. “With their minds already engaged, teachers can capitalise on this opportunity to engage them in a variety of learning activities to maximise their academic potential,” Joel noted.

One of GOL’s trained teachers, Alice Grimmond, makes it a goal to build a relationship with each of her pupils just as she did when she was in a physical classroom. “What makes me proud is the constant improvements that I am seeing in my pupils, especially in the reading and phonics areas.”
Whenever a pupil from her class is absent, she makes it a point to reach out to them and ensure that they receive the necessary notes and explanations. “I try to get them to be comfortable in class and participate in discussions,” she offered.

Grimmond especially likes the organisational structure at GOL and praised the team for being approachable, dedicated and confidential. “They’re always willing and ready to give a word of encouragement or guidance. There are times I will encounter difficulties or have questions and I would call on them and they’re always there to support and encourage me.”

Sharita Alladin, of Rose Hall, has two children enrolled with GOL in Grades Two and Eight, because she said this helps to keep them in line with the education curriculum. She doesn’t have the time to home-school due to a job and other responsibilities, and so she is grateful for GOL.
“The kids love the virtual teaching method. It allows them to be exposed to technology and to interact with friends from various parts of Guyana. Their social and interaction skills using technology have greatly improved,” she expressed.

Latoya Simon, too, is another parent from Linden who has three children in the programme in Grades Three, Six and Nine. “I love the teaching techniques that the teachers use to get the children’s attention and hold their attention for the period of time,” she commented, adding, “I also like that I can text a teacher and she will get back to you with information and will provide feedback. They know your child and if you ask about them, they are able to provide details. I must say their professionalism [is] top-notch,” Simon remarked.
According to GOL’s website, www.guyanalearn.com, overall, the aim is to allow individuals to satisfy their education needs in an affordable, convenient and enjoyable way.