Symposium commences to promote increase use of ICT in education delivery

Nov 04, 2015 News

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With a keen focus on fostering the increased use of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the school system, the Ministry of Education, through the National Centre for Educational Resource Development (NCERD) yesterday commenced an ICT symposium at the Pegasus Hotel.
The forum, which will culminate today, is being held under the theme “Innovative explosions in education delivery.”
Delivering opening remarks at the forum was Director of NCERD, Ms Jennifer Cumberbatch, who told the gathering of stakeholders that the event has come at a time when the education system is looking to retool itself to further deliver quality education. “This is indeed a significant role for information, communication technologies in improving our education system,” said Cumberbatch, as she pointed out that “over the years, major investments have been made to increase numbers of computers and computer laboratories in our schools.”
She continued, “Education and schools in the 21st century are facing many challenges to make education relevant to what is referred to as the information or knowledge age of society.”
Cumberbatch went on to highlight the role of policymakers and teachers to help transform education by making radical improvements to its processes and outcomes with the view of ensuring that more students reach higher levels of achievement. Moreover, she noted that the current focus of the sector is to make education more personally fulfilling whereby the creativity of students is nurtured to make them lifelong learners.

But in order to achieve this, she noted that “Guyana’s teachers now need to take the lead in using technology to make changes in pedagogical practices that prepare students for the future. Educators need to use ICT to change the curriculum and what students learn,” she added.
According to Cumberbatch, the emerging social practices of multi-tasking between several applications running simultaneously on the computer is radically different from the traditional assumption that learning requires the mind to focus on one thing at a time. She made reference to students who are versatile in the use of smart phones, adding that “teachers need to harness that skill that our students have so that they can continue learning.”
But Cumberbatch asserted that teachers must be provided with consistent support and extensive training in order to consider themselves able for integrating the ICT skills into their instructional practice. It is therefore expected that the symposium will serve as a means of laying the groundwork for the foregoing to be realised.
And according to Chief Education Officer (CEO), Mr Olato Sam, there is certainly great interest from the highest levels of administration of the country in moving the ICT agenda forward. “No less than His Excellency himself, the Honourable David Arthur Granger, would have declared publicly that ICT has to be one of the major drivers of the system going forward. It is within that context that we must now craft for ourselves a clear pathway in relation to meeting the stated objectives,” said Sam.
He nevertheless asked some searching questions about the Education Sector’s readiness for ICT even as he called on those in attendance to seek to carefully examine what is in place and what is required to ensure the efficacy of ICT in the sector. He however asserted that the position that is arrived at must have imperial groundings. Sam therefore added “it is vital that the research guides the direction that we must take going forward. We must get beyond the stage where we are constantly borrowing external models and then bending them to suit our local realities.”
“This is one area in which I firmly believe we can craft our own niche. What I can assure you of is that whatever it is that we decide upon within the Ministry of Education, we will find receptive gear,” said Sam as he noted that the deliberations of the symposium are aimed at finding consensus. He however stressed that “we do not have a choice in this matter” even as he cautioned that the future of our children and grandchildren… depends on the work we will do over the next few days.”
Delivering remarks yesterday in the capacity of Guest Speaker was Minister within the Ministry of Education, Nicolette Henry.
She underscored that the symposium is especially important as it brings together stakeholders from within the Region and beyond and creates an opportunity for participants to share knowledge and experiences in the use of ICTs for the promotion of quality education through improved teaching and learning processes.  Even as she regarded the event a milestone for Guyana and the expected outcome an integral component for education development, the Minister lauded the organisers for fast tracking the enhanced delivery of education. “It is recognised that an investment needs to be made in the education of our future citizens; an investment that would reap its reward in future generations who will be armed with the tools of the 21st century to be able to compete globally and thrive locally,” asserted the Minister.
Among those the Ministry collaborated with to spearhead the event was Professor Henry Wilder of the William Paterson University in New Jersey and Ms Jennifer Britain of the Caricom Secretariat who is slated to do an ICT presentation today.

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