Dear Editor,
On Wednesday, September 27, 2023, a letter was published in the Stabroek News titled `Ministry of Education needs to rethink its approach to creating content’.
In the letter, the author questions the Ministry of Education’s decision to develop mobile applications to deliver additional educational content. The author opined that with the plethora of educational apps, programmes and websites available, it would have been wise to utilize these options as opposed to developing our own.
However, these applications do not align with the Ministry of Education’s curriculum.
The EDpal app is an extension of the Ministry’s radio station, EDYOU FM which delivers curriculum-aligned content daily across Guyana including the outlying and Hinterland communities. It should be noted that the EDpal app provides play-on-demand content which means students can tailor their learning experiences by focusing on areas they find challenging or want to explore further. In addition to catering to the diverse needs of students at all levels, including nursery, primary and secondary, the EDpal app also has content for teachers in training at the Cyril Potter College of Education.
The app’s user-friendly interface allows for effortless browsing and access to specific topics. Additionally, because it’s audio-centric, it requires low bandwidth and content can be accessed offline. The app also caters to a wider cross-section of Guyana’s population including teachers and parents.
Further, it is important to develop localized media content so that Guyanese children can see themselves represented in a socially and culturally relevant context.
We thank the letter’s author for their interest in education and encourage them to continue to have an interest in the sector.
Sincerely,
Anara Khan
Senior Public Relations Officer,
Ministry of Education
