The Ministry of Education’s EdYou FM is bringing learning to every corner of Guyana, from classrooms to communities.
EDUCATION in Guyana is reaching new heights, and not just through infrastructure. The Government of Guyana, through EdYou FM, has achieved tremendous milestones in education accessibility across the country. From an office in Kingston, Georgetown, the talented EdYou FM team of writers, educators, and presenters works year-round to provide educational radio broadcasts to thousands of children of all ages nationwide. From the capital city to the hinterland, EdYou FM is making education more accessible than ever. Celebrating Education Month under the theme, “Quality Education for National Development”, Pepperpot Magazine sat down with the head of EdYou FM, Phillip Williams, and Production Manager, Ayanna Waddell, to talk about the work they do, how their content reaches children, and what we can look forward to in the future of EdYou FM.
Sitting down with this magazine in observance of Education Month, Phillip Williams described EdYou FM’s work as one arm of Guyana’s Ministry of Education’s robust distance learning branch. “EdYou FM is the Ministry of Education’s radio station, and it’s one arm of the distance education unit. We are responsible for broadcasting curriculum content to schools and communities all across Guyana. We have a staff of 16 persons here at the NERF Centre in Kingston, and this is where all the action happens,” he stated.

There is no shortage of educational content on the internet and on television. But what sets the team at EdYou FM apart is the quality of their content and the expertise behind it. As Williams shared, each broadcast is aligned with the curriculum. “We have a battery of writers and producers, and we provide content that is aligned with the curriculum. Apart from the content and instructional hours that we have on the radio, we have some fixed shows. There’s one in the morning, one at noon, and one in the afternoon, so those are live.”
One of the highlights of EdYou FM is its reach. EdYou FM is not just one of Guyana’s leading radio broadcasters; it is one of the largest in the country and the region. “EdYou FM has the biggest radio station in Guyana, the biggest reach, the biggest network in the Caribbean, given the sheer size of our country and the places we reach,” Williams added. “This is important because it supports the policy of equitable distribution of education. The radio can permeate and reach places that other media can’t. So people in the hinterlands, valleys, and rivers can all tune into EdYou FM, the home of family entertainment.”
After its launch just a few years ago, EdYou FM has seen incredible growth, especially in recent times. Backed by government intervention and growing national interest, what initially began as a small local education broadcast to just a few schools has blossomed into a nationwide educational platform, one that many educators are now integrating into their classrooms. “EdYou FM is a full-fledged radio station. We broadcast 24/7, seven days a week, 30-plus days a month, 365 days a year,” Williams stated.
Before becoming the educational powerhouse we know today, EdYou FM served as just a recording studio, with scripts recorded and later sent to NCN to be aired. “NCN would take the flash drive, plug it into their systems, and broadcast via their regional radio station. However, the Ministry began to acquire its own facilities as we expanded and recognised the need to reach the most remote areas of Guyana. Hence, the 24/7 radio station broadcasting across the country.”
Production Manager at EdYou FM, Ayanna Waddell, shed light on how creatively made educational productions reach children. “Internally, we have 16 staff members, but externally we have contributors who come in to do special shows, like the New Day show, Afternoon 360, and on Saturdays, Ah-We Culture, which I host,” she explained. “I communicate with the broadcasters to ensure they understand that they’re reaching not only children and youth but the nation as a whole. The content must engage listeners thoughtfully; it’s not just a random show with music. I streamline all of that and ensure we keep that in mind every time we go on air.”
Most of what hits the air is produced internally at EdYou FM. As Waddell explained, after a lesson is developed, a detailed, curriculum-oriented script is written, voiced, packaged, shared, and aired. “We do a lot of that work internally, and it’s played on our channels, 99.7, 99.9, and everywhere else in Guyana. We also engage with teachers to continue writing those scripts, holding at least two workshops per year to give them skills for radio scriptwriting. Lessons are prepared and packaged here. Our internal producers bring in voice talent, whether children or teacher narrators, and assemble the content right in our studio. So now we do everything from right here.”
EdYou FM also goes a step further, sharing timetables with schools so that children never miss a lesson. “We have our instructional hours from 9 a.m. to about 3 p.m., then our live programmes start. Once lessons are packaged, we share the timetable on our online platforms and send them to schools so students and teachers know what lessons are airing and for which grade.”
But the world is changing, and so is education — and EdYou FM does not intend to be left behind. As Williams shared with Pepperpot Magazine, EdYou is moving alongside technological development. As radio integrates with digital media, Williams and his team have already begun transitioning. “The next frontier for radio is amalgamating the analogue space with the digital space. We have started that process. As you know, the country is heading toward a digital economy, a digital space.”
The EdPal app, one of EdYou FM’s most innovative ideas, was launched in 2024 and marks the first step in the station’s digital journey. As Williams added, “All of our content has been digitised and uploaded to our app, EdPal. People can download it on their devices, access live radio, and play content on demand. I feel the future for radio, especially in our space, is migrating into the digital domain, and we’re excited about what that looks like.”
Although much of Education Month focuses on new schools and new initiatives, the team at EdYou FM is a gentle reminder of the importance of educators. “During Education Month, it resonates with the work we do because it gives a sense of achievement and accomplishment. We celebrate education, reflect on our journey, and see that what we’re doing here is impactful. Sometimes, during the daily grind, you question if it’s reaching people,” Waddell added. “But with our live programmes, like the popular Afternoon 360, especially in the regions, we get feedback that people are listening.”