THE launch of the Guyana Digital School has been filled with talk of destiny. JAIN Group founder Dr Chenraj Roychand called it “a new era” and promised that no child would be left behind.
He praised President, Dr Irfaan Ali’s goal of providing a digital future for children in every village, every river, and every home.
There’s no denying that this initiative is groundbreaking. Guyana is set to become home to the Caribbean’s first complete digital school. It will feature a regional digital library with all the CXC-required textbooks and learning materials.
This effort targets not only secondary-school students but will eventually include adult learners, out-of-school youth and people with disabilities. The positive response in Region Two, with registration drives bringing the platform directly to schools, shows that expectations of classrooms are already changing. If done right, this bold move could help close the education gap between urban and rural areas.
President Ali has repeatedly pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic uncovered serious issues with internet access, devices, and digital skills. If these problems continue, the promise of “anytime, anywhere” learning will mainly benefit kids who already have stable electricity, quiet study areas, and reliable internet. This could entrench, rather than eliminate, existing inequalities.
The strong focus on presidential vision and foreign partnerships also needs careful examination. JAIN University is being presented as a key, long-term partner, with its chancellor promising to help turn the Guyana Digital School into a “global model” and offering unwavering support for the government’s vision.
At the same time, the platform’s success will rely more on teachers than on technology. Officials have discussed interactive online classes, hands-on projects, and support for various learning styles. There needs to be continued significant investment in teacher training, time for educators to adjust materials and clear incentives rather than orders from above.
Dr Roychand’s metaphors should inform us of the next steps. He mentioned the Chinese bamboo, which seems to stay still for years while its roots grow strong underground. Guyana’s digital education foundation needs to be bolstered through everyday yet crucial tasks: expanding internet access to the last remote settlement; building community learning centres; providing devices and data for low-income households and carefully monitoring whether student performance and dropout rates actually improve.
The Guyana Digital School could truly be a “beacon of progress in the Caribbean.” However, real change will be measured by whether a child in the most isolated village can click “join class” as easily as a child in Georgetown—and whether both become not just more connected, but genuinely better educated.
