Education Ministry denies restricting teachers’ internet access in schools

– says such restrictions counterproductive to nationwide investment in school connectivity

The Ministry of Education has dismissed as “fallacious and misleading” a social media claim that teachers are facing restrictions on their access to internet services in schools, insisting that no such policy or directive has ever been issued.
In a press statement, the ministry made it clear that at no point has it, whether through the Management Information Systems Unit (MISU), the Regional ICT Department, or any other arm, implemented or authorised any measure that limits teachers’ access to the internet provided in schools. It described the circulating assertion as inaccurate and contrary to the government’s ongoing efforts to expand, rather than reduce, information and communication technology (ICT) access across the education sector.

According to the ministry, the Government of Guyana is currently engaged in historic, multi-million-dollar investments aimed at modernising education delivery and ensuring equitable access to digital tools for both teachers and students. Over the past five years, the education sector’s ICT budget has grown significantly, reflecting a deliberate policy thrust to integrate technology into teaching and learning nationwide.
These investments have supported the construction and upgrading of computer laboratories in primary and secondary schools, the expansion of resources for online, blended, and remote learning, large-scale procurement of computing devices, servers, and network equipment, and the installation of networks to provide connectivity in classrooms, laboratories, smart rooms, libraries, and administrative spaces. The ministry noted that interactive smart boards and other digital teaching tools are also being deployed in schools across Guyana as part of this transformation.
These initiatives, the statement explained, are driven by the Ministry of Education’s ICT in Education Policy and Master Plan, which treat ICT integration as a central pillar in transforming Guyana’s education system and equipping students with twenty-first-century skills.
The ministry reported that, in partnership with the National Data Management Authority (NDMA), internet connectivity has so far been delivered to 1,033 schools, including 385 nursery schools, 489 primary schools and all secondary schools. Over the last two years, 365 hinterland and remote schools have been connected to high-speed internet, while 134 schools have moved from LTE-based services to high-speed fibre-optic connectivity to improve reliability and bandwidth for both teaching and school administration.

Claims unfounded under current extensive investments in Network
A major component of the current digital drive is the Whole-School Network Initiative, which is being rolled out to provide full-campus internet coverage at schools across the country. For 2025, the ministry said installations are already in progress at 118 nursery schools, while works are scheduled to begin at 143 primary schools and 85 secondary schools. These installations are expected to deliver comprehensive campus-wide connectivity, including fixed wired infrastructure, wireless access points in every classroom, and a robust network backbone capable of supporting a wide ecosystem of technology solutions.
Among the systems and platforms that rely on this network are the Education Management Information System (EMIS) and other school administrative tools, digital libraries and content platforms, classroom technology for research and teaching, smart classroom environments, the “Connecting Classrooms” platform, technology-enabled mathematics and literacy interventions, and digital training programmes for teachers. The networks also provide access for learners under the GOAL scholarship programme and other online students.
The ministry cautioned that, given these extensive national investments in connectivity and infrastructure, it would be “counterproductive, illogical, and inconsistent” with government policy to introduce measures that restrict teachers’ access to internet services in schools.
Clarifying how school internet is managed, the ministry said that the connectivity provided is intended to support teaching, learning, EMIS usage, research and overall school operations. It added that, in line with standard international practice, security filtering and monitoring tools are used to protect minors and ensure safe and appropriate use of the network. It stressed, however, that teachers are not blocked from accessing legitimate educational platforms or digital resources.
The ministry further explained that isolated connectivity problems affecting specific devices, such as tablets or laptops, are generally technical issues at the local level rather than the result of national policy decisions. Schools experiencing such difficulties are urged to report them through the established ICT support channels so they can be resolved.
Reaffirming its commitment to digital transformation, the Ministry of Education said internet access in schools is being widened, not scaled back. It pointed to ongoing projects such as the National CSEC Mathematics Intervention Programme, under which 18 hinterland secondary schools have been equipped with interactive smart boards and high-speed internet. Through this programme, expert Mathematics teachers are delivering the CSEC Mathematics curriculum to students in remote regions via the Microsoft Teams platform, ensuring that learners in far-flung communities can benefit from the same quality of instruction available on the coast.
The ministry has urged the public, and particularly members of the teaching fraternity, to rely on verified information from official sources and to disregard unfounded claims that seek to mislead educators and the wider society about the government’s policies on ICT and connectivity in schools.