Digital School to safeguard continuity, expand access to education – Parag

Education Minister Sonia Parag has said that the launch of the Guyana Digital School marks a major step towards ensuring uninterrupted access to education for students across the country and beyond.
She made the remarks on Tuesday, at the official opening of the Guyana Digital School, a new online learning platform aimed at supporting secondary school students, including those from the hinterland region and remote communities.
She said that this initiative, envisioned by President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali several years ago, was shaped by the lessons learnt during the pandemic when students worldwide suffered great learning loss.

“The world learnt at that time how to transition very quickly into a digital mode. So here we are with a programme that will allow us to have continuity in education. Disruptions, hopefully, will be very little to none… We want to be able to provide uninterrupted access to education to all of our students as well as those in CARICOM,” said the education Minister.
She said that the digital school will provide students with access to quality education despite their location and economic background, while incorporating modern tools like artificial intelligence to enhance both learning and teaching.
The Minister highlighted the involvement of Jane University, which previously partnered with the Government on the Guyana Online Academy of Learning, noting its proven capacity gives confidence in the success of the initiative.
She told students that they are the first cohort to benefit from this programme and emphasised that their dedication and commitment will determine their future success.
“This is an investment that is being made to ensure that you can be able to exit secondary school with the required knowledge and skills that we want to have imparted on you. So, as we build our capacity in Guyana, education is the underpinning of any development in any country. And we want to ensure that we have students who are well equipped to transform our economy, to transform our physical landscape,” the Minister said.
Parag encouraged students to make full use of the platform, to cooperate and work side by side with the tutors and to apply the knowledge they gain to reinforce classroom knowledge as they prepare to sit their Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Examinations.
The Guyana Digital School is part of the Government’s push to modernise the education sector and build a skilled workforce to support national development.
At its official launch in December, President Dr Irfaan Ali had said that the school is a gateway to digital learning and an enabler of essential skills for students, particularly those who face challenges accessing traditional schooling.
“Importantly, the digital school will have a comprehensive digital library with all the textbooks our students require for CSEC and other examinations. Children across CARICOM, as well as in Guyana, will now have access to these resources.”
He further highlighted that students will have access to all textbooks for CXC and other examinations, not only in Guyana but also across the wider CARICOM region, ensuring standardised learning opportunities throughout the Caribbean.
“No student will be left behind due to lack of textbooks. Every investment we make is designed with our CARICOM brothers and sisters in mind because we are one,” the President had said.
Prime Minister (PM) of Barbados Mia Amor Mottley had praised President Ali’s vision, saying it provides Caribbean children with the tools to learn, grow, and succeed.
“Whether in the coastlands or hinterlands of Guyana, Barbados, St Kitts, or St Lucia, children now have access to learning at their fingertips. This is a momentous day for education across the region,” she had said.
Grenada’s PM, Dickon Mitchell, also congratulated Guyana, noting the platform’s potential to improve student performance and ensure equitable access to technology and guidance.
“I have instructed our Minister of Education to ensure Grenada is actively involved in this initiative. I am confident it will transform education delivery across CARICOM,” he added.