A demonstration of how the Smart Classroom would work is given to the students
Two schools, namely Brickdam and East Ruimveldt Secondary were on Thursday equipped with smart classrooms. The move represents a drive to modernize the education sector, a statement from the Education Ministry stated.
The classrooms are outfitted with interactive boards, televisions that allow teachers and students to connect remotely, and motion and voice-activated cameras complete with face recognition features.
Godfrey Munroe, Systems Development Coordinator at the Ministry of Education noted that the interactive boards will allow for virtual students to be able to interact with the class that is being facilitated at the time and views all content that is being shared.
“The Smart Classrooms will provide for the infusion of Information Communication Technology (ICT) for all subject areas. The facilities will have a multiplier effect as they will allow for expert teachers to reach and engage with other students from other schools and vice versa” the statement from the ministry reported Munroe as explaining.
Three Hundred and Sixty-Eight students are presently enrolled at the Brickdam Secondary School and Five Hundred and Six at the East Ruimveldt Secondary School. That is eight hundred and seventy-four students who will benefit from the smart classrooms.
“This is opening doors for us to occasion the equality and equity that we recognize is needed across the sector about which various parties have spoken.” Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said at the commissioning as quoted by the Ministry’s statement.
Manickchand noted that the commissioning of the classrooms is pleasing given the present COVID period where information and teaching can flow one to many, using the installed equipment.
She promised, according to the statement from her ministry, that effective usage of the classrooms will not be left up to the schools alone but will be part of a managed program to make sure the classrooms are being used effectively to benefit students at the respective schools and to also ensure that students at other schools have access.
“Imagine what we can do here. We could get experienced teachers delivering content to thousands of students at the same time. This will help us to expand the reach of our human resources for the benefit of all our students regardless of where they are located.” Minister Manickchand added.
The initiative was commended by the headteachers of both schools who believe that the step indicates a commitment of the government to the education sector.
The ministry in its statement recalled that back in February, a smart classroom was also commissioned at Queen’s College which was the second such facility in the public education system.
Minister Manickchand gave the assurance that the Government of Guyana and the Ministry of Education will continue to establish more smart classrooms and have them commissioned in the coming weeks.