Dear Editor,
EDUCATIONAL reform regarding accessibility and affordability is the key to changing individual Guyanese lives using education as a development tool.
A recent, less than two years, programme launched by the Government of Guyana, the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), allows Guyanese, regardless of geographic region, race, gender, to receive scholarships to pursue certificates, diplomas, undergraduate, and postgraduate degrees through an expanding pool of partnering institutions and universities.
As such, Guyana has tackled the major issues of accessibility and affordability, bringing education to every Guyanese household. Guyana has many communities in remote parts of the country where accessibility is difficult. However, this GOAL programme tackles that issue head-on with technology and innovation.
There is an inherently transformative nature of education for many Guyanese participating in the GOAL programme. Indeed, the economic benefits include higher salaries, better job opportunities, and for some to break the cycle of poverty. It leads to enhanced civic engagement across all races of the Guyanese people.
This is necessary as Guyana is reaching new heights economically and heading into a more inclusive society.
President Irfan Ali, a strong advocate for educational reform and has been noted for saying that “Education is not merely a means to secure a job; it is the foundation upon which we build our future, foster critical thinking, and cultivate the spirit of inquiry that drives societal progress.”
His government certainly has pressed forward to bring change to the educational system, impacting every Guyanese across the country.
For Guyana to sustain its record economic growth, 36 per cent projected for 2024, it must continue to focus on Guyanese and the skills and knowledge needed for the new economy.
This means preparing everyone to increase their personal development, hence their literacy, critical thinking, and specialised knowledge in emerging fields such as oil and gas, agriculture, commerce, technology, among other things.
The GOAL objective is to deliver on the personal and professional development of Guyanese by offering 20,000 scholarships by 2025.
Recently, the government announced that approval has been granted for 7,782 Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) Scholarships and that the successful applicants will be informed. This represents 39 per cent of the goal by 2025.
This is just a remarkable feat given the programme’s newness in allowing Guyanese to pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
A major feature of the GOAL programme as well is the diversity of programmes offered through its more than six partnering institutions, which offer more than 184 undergraduate degrees, 181 master’s degrees, and 109 vocational courses.
This diversity of academic programme offerings is not only necessary to offer unique educational opportunities to Guyanese but also can be done without major investments at the University of Guyana.
Minister Ashni Singh stated, “The GOAL initiative is in keeping with the Government’s commitment to improving the country’s educational and skills training capacity to match its aggressive economic diversification programme and continued rapid economic growth.”
Economists would argue that impressive economic growth cannot be sustained unless there is a skilled and knowledgeable labor pool available.
Online learning, especially in an asynchronous modality, can be challenging for a student returning or attempting to begin a degree.
This is why it is necessary to continue to support the GOAL administrative staff so they can support students. Metrics to measure the outcomes of this programme must include direct measures to assess student learning and application of knowledge in their profession.
For economists like me, the most important ingredient in economic development is human development, the entrepreneurial spirit, and the ability to change with the times. Guyana’s educational reform policy is doing just that!
Yours respectfully,
Dr. Tilokie Arnold Depoo,
Economist
