Robotics and STEM in primary schools is bigger than one company or individual

Mar 09, 2019 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,

I am one who follows what is happening on the international and more importantly the local front. I noticed on Thursday of this week the Ministry of Education announcing that robotics for all primary schools is almost a reality.
I thought wow! Finally, we have a government and a Minister of Education who is serious about transforming and moving education forward using Information Communication Technology (ICT). Editor, I said to myself thank heavens that as a country we are willing to embrace modern technology to drive education.
No sooner had those thoughts settled I saw one someone posted this on his Facebook page “So in an election cycle, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Guyana rolls out a Robotics component with a white man as instructor when we have a Guyanese in country currently teaching Robotics through STEM GUYANA. Utter foolishness! I support this Coalition Government and its vision for Guyana. But we need better, qualified, culturally aware people, competent people, visionaries, to implement the vision. This is unacceptable at many levels. Again, I wholeheartedly support this coalition government. But I can’t support such nonsense!
Is Minister of Education Nicolette Henry Aware of this?”
Editor, I must admit I did not read the entire article emanating from the MoE regarding the robotics. And so I thought to myself thank you Mr. Usual Suspect for highlighting this. But through it all a still voice admonished me to read the article in its entirety and I did. Reading the article was extremely enlightening and I asked myself the questions did this individual and his followers read the article?
From the outset, let me say this for this individual to label the man, who came here legitimately to potentially offer his services to this country, a ‘White Man’ was reprehensible, distasteful and is tantamount to racism. All right-thinking Guyanese should speak out against this kind of language.
Editor, let me return to the contents of the MoE’s article that seem to have upset so many persons. Firstly, it is clear in that article that the MoE has not rolled out the programme as was stated, so that part of the post is incorrect. It went on to say that the man is an instructor for the MoE, from what I have read David Antar is the President of A+ Technologies and Solutions and he wanted to showcase what his company can offer via that demonstration. Nowhere in that article did I see a contract was awarded. In fact, the article was pellucid when it said the MoE is engaging ‘potential’ partners.
With regards to the Guyanese teaching robotics through STEM Guyana, I am sure like David Antar that Guyanese will have that time to showcase what he/she has to offer. I get the impression from the utterances of this individual and his crew that somehow the MoE should not look elsewhere apart from this Guyanese individual and STEM Guyana. That cannot be the approach of any responsible leader to sign off on such an approach. The introduction of Robotics and STEM in primary schools is bigger than one company or individual. I urge the MoE not to be bullied by these individuals and allow the tendering process to determine who is deserving of this contract.
The MoE is embarking on a new initiative and therefore should not be limited to interfacing with one individual or company whether they are Guyanese or otherwise. The Ministry must be allowed to do its work and not have individuals serving as ‘go-betweens’ for persons who have a self-serving interest in that project.
Editor, where are we going as a country? How can people who are supposed to be educated behave in such a manner? They have clearly missed the most significant part, which is for the first time Guyanese children will have robotics in their classroom. They can only see this ‘White man’ coming to take over the project.

Yours Respectfully,
Elizabeth Williams

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