–facility commissioned at the Leonora Secondary School

TRANSFORMING and improving the delivery of education continues to be at the forefront of the Ministry of Education’s plans, as evidenced by the commissioning of a smart classroom at the Leonora Secondary School in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara). The facility, which was commissioned by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Thursday, is the first of its kind in the region. According to a press statement from the Ministry of Education, Minister Manickchand said that she was extremely happy about the occasion since it was the first smart classroom to be commissioned in Region Three.
She promised, however, that it will not be the only such facility in the region, as there were plans to establish three additional smart classrooms at the West Demerara Secondary School, the Parika-Salem Secondary School and Leguan Secondary School.
Minister Manickchand said that the education sector must continue to cater to the needs of the various generations of students. And, a smart classroom was one way of addressing existing needs, since it was important not only to the school at which it was established, but to other schools around the country that did not have a smart classroom as yet.

She said that in cases where some schools did not have a specialist teacher in a particular subject area, a teacher from the Leonora Secondary School could assist those students by conducting lessons virtually without having to travel to the other school.
Minister Manickchand said that teachers will be trained to use the facility. There have already been many initiatives to incorporate Information Technology (IT) into the classroom but not many of those projects were taken seriously enough to put the education sector in a position to deliver education online when the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
However, she commended those teachers who stepped up to the challenge during the pandemic and managed to teach their students virtually. She said that the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Ministry of Education to regroup and ensure that systems were put in place to have as many children as possible engaged during this time.

Regional Chairman of Region Three, Ishan Ayube, said that he was happy that the education sector has a minister who was delivering progress according to the government’s policy. He said that the teachers and students needed to grasp the opportunity and utilise the facility to its fullest. The Regional Democratic Council will work assiduously to ensure programmes and policies are being executed in the region, in a transparent manner. On behalf of the RDC, he thanked the Ministry of Education and the Government of Guyana for making such an investment in his region. Regional Education Officer of Region Three, Devindra Persaud, said that the smart classroom had come at a time when the region needed such a facility. He assured those in attendance that the classroom will be taken care of and used for its intended purpose. He said that the smart classroom will not only enhance the way teachers teach, but also how students learn.

Systems Development Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, Godfrey Munroe, said that there were unlimited possibilities with utilising the smart classroom. He said that the facility will allow for technology-infused learning. According to Munroe, teachers of all subject areas can use the classroom to their advantage. He said too that it was a great opportunity and that the Management Information Systems Unit (MISU) of the Ministry of Education will continue to work with the school to ensure the facility is used efficiently.
Following the ceremonial commissioning, attendees were treated to a demonstration as to how the smart classroom will work.
Just last week, the Ministry of Education commissioned smart classrooms at the Brickdam Secondary School and the East Ruimveldt Secondary School. All classrooms will have an interactive board, a television that allows teachers and students to connect remotely, and motion and voice-activated cameras complete with a face recognition feature.