–points to areas where AI can support delivery of education
PRESIDENT Dr Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to improving the welfare and professional development of teachers, including through better pay, improved allowances, grants to support teaching and learning, increased training opportunities and measures aimed at boosting teacher morale.
In his message to mark World Teachers’ Day 2026, President Ali said the observance comes at a time when Guyana’s education system is undergoing significant transformation, with smart classrooms, digital technologies, online resources and artificial intelligence (AI) becoming increasingly important to the learning process.
“We are committed to better pay, improved allowances, grants to support teaching and learning, more opportunities for training and greater morale among our teachers,” the President said adding: “Our teachers must also remain central to educating, empowering and inspiring the next generation. I urge all teachers to continue to inspire minds, shape character and help build the Guyana of tomorrow.”
He said while these developments present significant opportunities, they also create new challenges for teachers, particularly as AI changes the way knowledge is accessed, understood and produced.
The President noted that AI can assist teachers with lesson preparation, the development of educational materials, adapting instruction to individual needs and making learning more interactive and engaging.
However, he stressed that technology cannot replace the wisdom, judgement, empathy and understanding of teachers, nor the encouragement, patience and personal guidance they provide to students.
President Ali said: “My government remains committed to providing greater access to training, professional development and the resources necessary to equip teachers with the competencies required for the classroom of the future.”
He also highlighted the challenges AI creates in assessing students’ work, as teachers must increasingly determine whether assignments reflect a student’s own understanding and effort or have been substantially generated using AI.
Against this backdrop, President Ali said there is a need to reconsider how learning is assessed and understood in an age of artificial intelligence.
He said the response should not be to reject technology, but to teach children to use it responsibly, ethically and intelligently. This includes encouraging them to question information, understand rather than simply obtain answers, and exercise sound judgement in deciding when and how technology should be used.
The President said teachers must also be equipped to guide students through this rapidly changing environment, requiring greater pedagogical readiness and continuous upgrading of their knowledge and skills.
He said teachers need to understand how emerging technologies work and, more importantly, how they can be applied to improve learning outcomes.
“If teachers are to guide our children through this rapidly changing landscape, they too must be equipped for the journey. This requires a new level of pedagogical readiness. Our teachers must continually upgrade their knowledge and skills.
“Teachers must equip themselves with the knowledge, skills and understanding of how new technologies work and, more importantly, how they can be used to improve learning.”
He also underscored the continued importance of teachers in educating, empowering and inspiring the next generation, while urging them to continue shaping character and contributing to the development of Guyana.
He extended appreciation to teachers, past and present, for their contribution to the nation and offered his best wishes to educators across Guyana on World Teachers’ Day 2026