–says Guyana Digital School marks ‘a new era’

THE launch of the Guyana Digital School on Friday was hailed as the beginning of a transformative new chapter in the country’s education system.
Dr Chenraj Roychand, Founder and Chairman of the JAIN Group of Institutions (JGI), described the initiative as a monumental step that will reshape learning for generations.
Speaking at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Dr Roychand delivered a powerful tribute to President Dr Irfaan Ali’s leadership, calling the digital school “not just the inauguration of a project, but the beginning of a new era in Guyana’s education journey.”
From the outset, Dr Roychand framed the initiative as a direct reflection of the President’s ambition to empower every Guyanese learner through technology.
“Your Excellency, the Guyana Digital School stands as a testament to your extraordinary mission,” he said. “You have not only imagined a digital future, you have brought that future into the hands of every child across every village, every river, community, every home.”
According to him, President Ali’s leadership has ensured that “every learner receives equal world-class education,” and that his belief in taking education to the unreached has become the driving force behind what he called a revolutionary transformation.
Dr Roychand stressed that the initiative carries a profound promise. “The Guyana Digital School is not just a platform; it is a promise — a promise that learning will be anytime, anywhere, a promise that no child will ever be left behind due to distance or circumstance, a promise that Guyana is ready to stand proudly among the world’s most innovative and progressive nations,” he said.
He added that the effort will transform thousands of lives, giving students “the wings to dream, innovate and rise.”
He emphasised that President Ali’s digital vision reaches far beyond Guyana’s borders. “Your Excellency, your vision does not stop at Guyana. You have extended this digital revolution across the entire Caribbean region,” he said. “This is leadership of the highest order, leadership that uplifts not only a nation, but an entire community of nations.”
For the JGI and Jain University, Dr Roychand said partnering on the project is a privilege rooted in their long-standing belief in education as a driver of change. “For over three decades, we have believed in the power of education to change lives. Today, we stand humbled and stand beside a nation that holds this belief with equal passion,” he noted.
He pledged unwavering support to the government’s goals. “Your Excellency, we are committed not just today, but for every step ahead to support your evolutionary vision for a modern, inclusive and empowered Guyana.”
He said the institution will continue working with the Ministry of Education and its academic teams to ensure that the Guyana Digital School becomes “a global model for transformation in school education.”
Reflecting on the long-term significance of the initiative, Dr Roychand said nations secure their future by investing in education. “When a nation invests in education, it invests in its destiny,” he remarked. He told the gathering that the project has laid the foundation for “a new generation of thinkers, innovators and leaders,” and that the digital school will illuminate the path for decades to come, inspiring young minds to “dream fearlessly and aim higher.”
According to him, the initiative strengthens Guyana’s position as “a beacon of progress in the Caribbean and the world.”
Addressing students directly, Dr Roychand shared a story about purpose and perspective. He spoke of a traveller who encountered three bricklayers and asked each what he was doing. “The first said, ‘I’m laying bricks.’ The second said, ‘I’m building a wall,’ and the third said, ‘I am constructing a school.’” Although each worker performed the same task, only one understood the deeper meaning. “I urge all of you to think like the third bricklayer,” he said. “Whatever work you do, big or small, do it with purpose. Do it with vision and pride.”
He also drew inspiration from the Chinese bamboo tree as a lesson in patience and resilience. For five years, he explained, nothing grows above the ground even though the seed is nurtured daily. Then in the sixth year, it suddenly shoots up 80 feet in six weeks. “The question is, did it grow 80 feet in six weeks or in five years?” he asked. The truth, he said, is that “all growth was happening underground, quietly, strengthening its roots.” In the same way, he told students, progress may seem invisible, but perseverance pays off. “Your achievements are not sudden,” he said. “They are the outcome of unseen effort, resilience and discipline.”
Dr Roychand encouraged students to embrace vision and purpose as they prepare for the future. “The world needs extraordinary individuals and leaders, especially compassionate human beings and responsible global citizens,” he said.
He urged them to make their country proud and affirmed that, “Guyana should be on the world map to make things happen in life, and you, as young leaders, will show the world that Guyana is the most economic, prosperous country to ever happen, with your vision and dream.”
In closing, Dr Roychand offered his deepest respect and congratulations to President Ali. “All the best, Your Excellency, President Dr Irfaan Ali; please accept my deepest respect and heartfelt congratulations,” he said. He also extended thanks to senior government officials and the Ministry of Education team for supporting the national digital education mission.