WHEN we talk about Guyana’s development, the conversation often turns to roads, hospitals, buildings, businesses and the opportunities being created by the country’s growing economy.
But there is another investment that may be just as important: investing in the people who will build, operate and improve all of this in the years ahead.
That is why teachers matter.
In August, ExxonMobil Guyana launched the first component of the Guyana STEM Initiative, Guyana STELLAR, a multi-year teacher STEM training programme at the Cyril Potter College of Education.
The Guyana STELLAR, or STEM Teacher Training: Enhancing Learning, Leadership and Academic Rigour, Programme, is providing specialised science and mathematics training to 60 pre-service secondary school teachers. The two-year programme is designed to strengthen their subject knowledge, teaching practices and leadership skills, with the August intake being the first batch.
The potential before us is immeasurable. These future teachers will eventually stand in front of classrooms filled with young Guyanese. They will teach students who may one day become engineers, scientists, doctors, technicians, programmers, researchers, entrepreneurs and other professionals.
Over the course of their careers, these teachers could collectively influence thousands of students across Guyana, helping them think critically, solve problems and connect STEM subjects to everyday life and future careers.
For many of us, science and mathematics were simply subjects we had to pass in school. But STEM – science, technology, engineering and mathematics– encourages students to ask questions and equips them with problem-solving skills that can last a lifetime.
Those skills matter in almost every part of modern life, and as Guyana changes, they will matter even more, with a growing demand for technical and professional skills. As new industries develop and existing ones become more technologically advanced, Guyana will need people who can design, build, analyse, operate and innovate.
The question is: where will those people come from? They start in classrooms. That is why preparing teachers is so important. The Guyana STELLAR Programme will expose participants to hands-on STEM learning, laboratory experiences, inquiry-based instruction and classroom practice. The aim is to help teachers make learning more engaging, while encouraging students to think critically, solve problems and explore rather than simply memorise information. This is where Guyana’s economic development connects to its education system.
Growth in oil and gas, infrastructure, technology, healthcare and other sectors is increasing the need for people with strong scientific, technical and problem-solving capabilities. Natural resources alone cannot determine Guyana’s future. The people who manage businesses, operate technology, design infrastructure, conduct research and provide specialised services will. That human capacity has to be developed.
The Guyana STELLAR Programme is a component of ExxonMobil Guyana’s US$100 million, 10-year Guyana STEM Initiative. The broader initiative includes teacher development, two STEM centres and other programmes intended to strengthen STEM education and expand pathways into STEM learning and careers nationwide.
This matters because building a STEM workforce does not happen overnight. It starts long before someone applies for a technical job. It starts when a child becomes curious about how a machine works, discovers that they enjoy solving a math problem, or realises that science can help explain the world around them. Very often, there is a teacher behind that moment.
So, when we look at 60 teachers entering a specialised STEM programme, we should not see only 60 people receiving training. We should see classrooms. We should see students, and we should see the possibility of a future Guyanese workforce with the skills to take the country even further. Investing in teachers today can help prepare and inspire the scientists, engineers, technicians and technology professionals Guyana will need tomorrow.
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Guyana National Newspapers Limited.
