First Lady Sandra Granger on Monday attended the launch of the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) app and placed on record her support to the Education Ministry and the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Guyana team who have used technology to create a new and innovative way to further strengthen and enhance the learning process. The launch was held at the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD), Battery Road, Kingston.
Colin Sawh giving and overview of the App and a demonstration of its user friendly interface for students and teachers
The First Lady said the Education Ministry has now opened doors for children to access education, through STEM and urged parents and guardians to take full advantage of what the Ministry has to offer.
“Our children in Guyana have proven that they have the capacity to learn something new, and it doesn’t matter what school you go to or which part of the country you live in… The Ministry is opening up these apps to you which will help you in your Grade Six exams and hopefully, inspire you to get into robotics and Mathematics…,” Granger said.
The Education Ministry and the STEM Guyana team have collaborated to make education exciting for NGSA students. She noted that over time, technology has evolved and likewise, learning must evolve as well.
The First Lady also noted that the app is a great tool that can bring children together, as it allows for the sharing of educational information. Granger added that the app has now provided students in the hinterland with the equal opportunity to learn, grow and to develop in STEM, like children on the coast and elsewhere.
“I am excited because I think [this] app is going to [give] that little boost that children need to be inspired and any child can do it, once they have a phone and once they have teachers who are interested,” First Lady said.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Nicolette Henry said the app was designed with every Grade Six student in mind and they should take full advantage to improve in their academic performances.
Co-founder of STEM Guyana, Karen Abrams, noted that in order for children to thrive in learning, education must be reimagined.
“We therefore thought that it was important to work with the Ministry of Education to make available, a technology tool which will allow access to test questions, it will allow for explanation to those questions and it will allow answers. A tool that will also allow parents to monitor how long their children study and what they study,” Abrams said.
The current app now provides students with past papers of the four core subjects: Mathematics, English, Social Studies and Science, which they are tested in at the NGSA Exams. The app also provides an interface, whereby students’ studies can be monitored by their parents and teachers. The app is available for download on Google Play Store.
