US envoy lauds Govt efforts to make education more accessible

…as discussion held for Guyanese accessing online education in Qatari, Saudi Arabian & UAE universities

Underscoring the importance of more Guyanese than ever before upskilling themselves amid growing economic opportunities, United States (US) Ambassador to Guyana Nicole Theriot has revealed that talks have been held on Guyanese possibly accessing online education from Qatari, Saudi Arabian and United Arab Emirates (UAE) universities.
Ambassador Theriot made this revelation during the recent launch of the Guyana Coursera Platform, which offers free certificate courses in over 6000 disciplines. According to her, the possible inclusion of these middle eastern partners in the Coursera programme was communicated to her by Coursera’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jeff Maggioncalda.
“Coursera’s CEO just returned a few days ago from a massive month-long trip around the world, ending here in Guyana. But just previous to coming here he was in Qatar, UAE and Saudi Arabia. And he and I just had a discussion, about linking universities and educational institutions from those countries, using online platforms, with Guyana,” Theriot said.
The Ambassador also lauded the Dr. Irfaan Ali led Government for its concerted efforts to make education more accessible to the people… particularly given the pace at which development is occurring in Guyana.
“Recognizing this, I commend his excellency President Ali, Minister Singh and the government of Guyana, in their work to ensure that every Guyanese person has access to education here. In the country.”
“With the pace of growth we’re witnessing, it is critical that everyone in Guyana, regardless of their background, circumstances, geographical location, has access to quality education and the tools they need to succeed and contribute to Guyana’s incredible growth,” the Ambassador also said.
With that being said, the US Ambassador noted that in the rapidly evolving contemporary world, traditional means of education cannot be relied on. According to her, in order to adapt to today’s more competitive world, lifelong learning must be embraced.
“Guyana is transforming right before our eyes and in order to sustain this trajectory of growth and development, while ensuring inclusion, its critical that every Guyanese person is equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to take part in this incredible success story.”
“Education has always been the cornerstone of success and development in any society. It is the key that unlocks doors of opportunity and empowers individuals to pursue their dreams,” Theriot said.
The Guyana Coursera Platform was launched on Friday last, and already, some 1000 individuals were set to undergo the registered nurse programme through online learning, with another 800 registered for the Nursing Assistant Programme.
In his feature address, President Dr. Irfaan Ali had stated that this initiative would enhance not only the delivery of world-class education but also accessibility to world-class education for scores of Guyanese.
“When I spoke of accessibility to world-class education, today, a student from Queen’s College or a student who now qualifies under the GOAL (Guyana Online Academy of Learning) with the secondary reintegration programme can both access a Cambridge, a Yale, a Columbia [University] programme through Coursera.”
“That is what is called equal opportunity. That is what will fill the gap. That is what we called building to avoid inequality and disparity. That is what is designing policies to meet an equitable and prosperous future for every single Guyanese. That is the core behind the principle that we’re pursuing,” the Guyanese Leader further posited.
Coursera is one of the world’s leading online learning platforms, with over 142 million registered learners, based on its December 2023 statistics. The portal also boasts partnerships with over 325 top universities and institutions, including Yale University and John Hopkins.
Guyana’s relationship with Coursera started back in 2020 when the Government signed a deal to offer free certificate courses to citizens at all levels who were forced to stay at home as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. (G3)