As part of its efforts to assist students with their studies during the COVID-19 pandemic, ExxonMobil has donated $15 million to support continuing education programmes.
According to an ExxonMobil release yesterday, the company has pledged to support several programmes that will help students keep up with their studies while schools across Guyana remain closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The company’s contribution of $15 million will, it says, support continuing education programmes offered through separate partnerships with the Rotary Club of Stabroek and the National Centre for Education Resource Development (NCERD) that are geared at ensuring students are able to effectively prepare for upcoming national examinations.
This has in turn enabled the Rotary Club of Stabroek to collaborate with local technology services company BrainStreet, to provide free online tutorials for students in Grades 4, 5 and 6 through its BrainCentral www.braincentral.online online portal.
President of the Rotary Club of Stabroek, Colin Thompson, stressed the importance of developing sound online learning platforms given the evolving landscape of education delivery. “These platforms should not mimic the face to face classroom experience but instead must address all the nuances of access, convenience, distance, and engagement,” he declared.
ExxonMobil Guyana says it is also supporting NCERD’s efforts to update and expand its Broadcast to Schools programme on Radio and other programmes on the Guyana Learning Channel as it is aware that internet access remains a challenge for some Guyanese.
NCERD Director Jennifer Cumberbatch acknowledged the disruption that COVID-19 has had on education, particularly those students who are preparing for the National Grade Six Assessment, CSEC and CAPE.
“The National Centre for Educational Resource Development has focused on providing new and improved ways to connect our nation’s children with their teachers. At the same time we have seen as critical the need to strengthen existing lines of communication to ensure some measure of continuity in the delivery of education,” the Director was quoted as saying.
ExxonMobil Guyana’s Senior Director for Public and Government Affairs Deedra Moe said these complimentary programmes will provide greater access to important educational tools for many children across Guyana. Support for initiatives like these, she stated, are part of ExxonMobil Guyana’s commitment to contribute to the country’s social and economic progress.
The Company’s engineers plan to lend a hand to engage young minds with the “STEM at Home” initiative, which can be found on ExxonMobil Guyana’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/exxonmobilguyana.
It will feature simple and safe experiments that children can do at home using simple and inexpensive products found around the house.
“Investments in education are investments in Guyana’s future,” Moe declared. “Families have been especially affected during these challenging times. ExxonMobil Guyana is happy to support projects that help meaningfully engage students while continuing to advance their education.”
