Education Ministry pushing for smart schools as AI revolution takes off –Manickchand

As the Education Ministry tailors a comprehensive infrastructure in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be incorporated into learning, there has been an aggressive push for smart schools and technology-driven operations.
Day four of the Consideration of Estimates got underway in the National Assembly on Friday with Education Minister Priya Manickchand defending the $135.2 billion allocated to education this year.
Opposition Member of Parliament (MP) Jermaine Figueira acknowledged that the use of AI has created a plethora of opportunities to enhance learning, and inquired whether the Education Ministry is considering implementing AI in Guyana’s school system.
Manickchand pointed out that the AI revolution is one which cannot be stopped, and is one which education systems across the region are analysing. The minister responded, “I don’t think we could escape AI integrated into education, given the direction and trajectory of the world. How we do that to maximize results, even as we teach our children about plagiarism and how that would not inure to their benefit, is something that many of us are studying across the region.”
It was outlined that while the Ministry works on creating a model wherein AI can be incorporated constructively, smart classrooms, and eventually small schools, would ensure that technology is embraced.
The minister explained: “What we have done is expanded our ICT access across schools. All of our secondary schools have a computer lab, (and) most of our primary schools are outfitted with computer labs. We’re even moving to the point where more than 60 percent of our secondary schools have smart classrooms, and to the point where we want to have SMART schools where every classroom is connected. As we study how to incorporate AI into education, which is something we will not be able to stop anyway, how do we build out the infrastructure so that people can use that constructively? That’s the undertaking.”
The first smart classroom was introduced at North Ruimveldt Secondary in 2014. When Government returned to office in 2020, several others were added across the country. Presently, Smart classrooms exist in Berbice, Essequibo, Georgetown, and in several other areas.
In October 2023, the Ministry launched its Education Management Information System (EMIS), wherein private and public schools and other institutions within the education sector would have access to a secure database, allowing for a comprehensive range of tools for record-keeping and management of data.
The minister informed the House that this project is in the implementation stage. “It is our intention to have data processing clerks at all schools. We’re now implementing and rolling out the Education Management Information System (EMIS), which would be a gamechanger in our country’s education system. To do that, we will need data processing clerks across the country, so we will be doing that shortly.”
With over 1500 public and private schools, teaching instruction centres, regional departments, and practical instruction centres in the system, the cumbersome process of storing and accessing data is now available at the fingertips of stakeholders.
In schools, this mechanism would eliminate paper-based record-keeping, which is not only bulky but time-consuming. Attendance, performance, and other relevant information can be recorded by using data analytics, and the Ministry would be able to identify trends and make informed policy decisions.
With centralised data, the Ministry can ensure better accountability with administrative tasks such as student enrolment, attendance tracking, and evaluating performance categories at all levels, while identifying gaps and disparities in the education system.
Educators can address specific needs and adaptive teaching methodologies, thus creating a more personalised learning experience and improving outcomes and retention rates.
More than bringing ease to data monitoring in the sector is the ability of EMIS to address social issues such as dropouts and absenteeism in classrooms. A digital attendance register for each student and teacher is linked to a risk module, alerting the Welfare Department if a student has not shown up at class for a long period of time. (G12)