Coast-hinterland student exchange proposed to bridge cultural divide, boost national unity

President Dr Irfaan Ali on Monday signaled his Government’s interest in establishing a student exchange programme between coastland and hinterland schools, aimed at giving Guyanese children a deeper, more realistic understanding of the country’s diverse geography and culture.

The President made the announcement during his feature address at the official commissioning of the newly constructed Brickdam Secondary School in the heart of Georgetown. He emphasised the importance of fostering national unity and cultural awareness by allowing students from different regions to experience life and learning beyond their own communities.
“We have to be able to have exchange programmes among and between schools, [so that] our children can grow up knowing what all of Guyana feels and looks like. That is the type of investment we are making, in infrastructure, buildings and the development of human capital,” President Ali said.
Highlighting the stark differences between the urban landscape of Georgetown and the natural beauty of the hinterland, the President said it is essential for students on the coast to witness firsthand the scenic landscapes that characterise the hinterland regions. “When you look at some of these schools, and the environment in which they’re being built if you look out of the windows here in Georgetown, you see massive buildings around you [but if] you look out of the windows in the hinterland, you see rolling hills and mountains and beautiful savannahs. And we want our children in Georgetown to experience that,” the Head of State said.
President Ali said that over the next five years, the Government would also work on expanding school tours and outdoor learning experiences to help students connect classroom lessons, particularly in social studies and geography, to real-life environments across the country.
“Our efforts extend beyond Georgetown and the coast. One of our key priorities is to narrow educational gaps between hinterland and coastland regions. For decades these gaps have hindered our national progress, but not anymore,” he said.
The President reaffirmed that the Government is accelerating school infrastructure development in hinterland areas, noting that the majority of new schools currently under construction are located in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine.
However, he stressed that expanding access is only one part of the transformation, with building meaningful connections between students being equally vital.
“This is transformation. This is not by chance, it is by choice, the choice we have made as a Government to equip our educators, empower our students and elevate our communities,” Ali declared.