DISTANCE learning has been a part of the Guyanese education system since the launch of the Guyana Learning Channel (GLC) in April 2011 by Vice-President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo, who was President at that time.

The GLC was formed to promote distance education and to revitalise or supplement the classroom-based curriculum.

In 2020, the Learning Channel started the Hinterland Riverine Project, which seeks to provide television, solar, and satellite to every hinterland and riverine community throughout Guyana. To date the Learning Channel is 96 per cent complete with this project and aims to complete it by the end of 2024.

Head of the Guyana Learning Channel, Anieshaw Mohamed, revealed that with the hinterland project, they have strategically placed televisions at schools within each community. This she said, is not restricted to the use of just the school.

“If you don’t have access to our digital channels, we will be rolling out soon our digital TV box. Now, this TV box, once you have a regular TV, it allows you to connect to our digital channel. It’s sort of like a cable box without a monthly subscription,” Mohamed stated.

She mentioned as well that, currently, the GLC has a total of 10,000 boxes to distribute, starting with persons that are in need first. In addition to that, each of their channels is available on E-Networks cables.

The box will be distributed to individuals, prioritised by the need.

Persons must have children, who must be attending school. “If you do not have a cable connection with E-networks or readily available internet, then this is something you can benefit from immediately as a first preference person,” Mohamed said.

The Learning Channel has six channels, and its analog channel. “Our digital channel is GLC Junior, and the target audience is nursery to preschool for that channel.

“For GLC Elementary, the target audience is primary. GLC Teen is secondary. GLC Discover is for lovers of science and discoveries, and GLC Elevate is for adult or late learners. There’s also GLC Plus that deals with general audiences,”

The head noted that, in 2020, during COVID-19, they were rushed with ensuring that they created content. She explained, “A lot of work was really rushed, and it did not get the quality and the type of content we aim to deliver here at the Learning Channel now. In creating content, we review the curriculum. We’ve had a few curriculum changes within the Ministry over the years, and we keep up to date with that.”

By the end of 2024, Mohamed said that the GLC will launch an app, allowing its users to access all of the content available on the Learning Channel, and any of the company’s six channels, live, at any given time. The app can be used on iOS or Android phones.

She said the purpose of the app is to remove the distraction of YouTube (where they have approximately 68,000 subscribers), by giving children an alternative to switch to the app and utilise the content there since it reinforces what is taught in the classroom.

Mohamed went on to say that with the type of content they create, the GLC aims to provide content that is entertaining but also has an educational component in it.

Mohamed highlighted that one of the shows they have created is, “The Amazing World of Cho”, an animated show about Cho, a little girl in Region Nine, who attends the Saint Ignatius Primary School. Cho is eight years old, and is trying to navigate the world around her while also growing up in the Hinterland. She will be exposed to the city very soon. The show was produced and written by the GLC staff.

Apart from this series, the Learning Channel has a National Spelling Bee, Whiz Kids, Brainiacs, and very soon Mathletes. There is also a National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) Booster, along with content from Nursery School all the way to Grade 11.