The Leader of the Alliance for Change (AFC) opposition party, Nigel Hughes, has expressed grave concern over the lack of internet access in primary schools in indigenous communities across Guyana. During a listening and engagement tour that spanned eight weeks, he visited several communities, noting a disturbing absence of digital connectivity in every school visited.
In a statement, the AFC leader highlighted the disparity between indigenous students and their peers globally, noting that millions of students worldwide attend school daily with access to modern technology such as tablets, while indigenous students in Guyana do not even have internet in their schools. “This must be a national embarrassment to all of us in 2024 when we have already earned USD2 billion for the year,” he stated.
The leader emphasized that with the start of a new academic year, the continuous denial of basic resources, such as internet access, to indigenous students constitutes unequal treatment in education. He noted that equipping every primary school with internet is no longer a financial or technical challenge and called for the issue to be addressed before the end of September 2024.
The communities visited during the AFC’s engagement included Chinoweing, Imbamadai, Kamarang, Jawalla, and Phillipai in Upper Mazaruni, as well as Achiwib, St. Ignatius, Toka, Yakarintha, Annai, and Surama in Region Nine.
Hughes, as such, urged the nation to demand immediate action, asserting that Guyana now has the resources to bridge this educational divide for indigenous students.
