54,348 certificates were issued, as the curtain closed on Coursera

On March 31, 2021, the curtain closed on a highly lucrative arrangement that saw thousands of Guyanese benefit from free online courses available on Coursera. According to statistics provided by the Ministry of Education, some 55, 348 people living in Guyana were enrolled for a variety of certificate programs offered by scores of Ivy League and other highly regarded universities and colleges in the United States and the United Kingdom. In the last seven months, these organizations collectively have issued 54,348 certificates to Guyanese learners. Following the long 2020 General and Regional Elections, the newly elected People’s Progressive Party / Civic Party (PPP / C) Government worked in partnership with the Commonwealth of Learning to pave the way for Guyanese to access the courses offered on Coursera platform.
The initiative, led by Education Minister Priya Manickchand, has come in for widespread praise from people across the country, especially as it addresses the unfortunate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic is available on Guyanese learners. It is safe to say that not only were the opportunities welcomed, but they were fully exploited. So much so that at least 21 people have successfully completed more than 100 courses, all at no cost. Statistics provided by the Ministry of Education show Maynawattie Tiwari leading the board of top achievers, having completed 1001 courses. Tiwari was closely tailed by Rohani Beeram, who earned 493 certificates. Meanwhile, Dawn Lewis prides itself on having 404 certificates.

The landmark ‘Coursera’ initiative, officially known as the Workforce Recovery Initiative, was also praised internationally, with Coursera’s CEO (CEO), Jeff Maggioncalda, citing Guyana as an outstanding participant in the courses on offer. This paved the way for an extension of the scholarships between December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2021.
In addition to the successful implementation of the project, Minister Manickchand and her team at the Ministry of Education were quick to gain commitments from his public and private sector partners to ensure that the certificates obtained, while free free, properly valued and recognized by potential employers.
The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Service and the Private Sector Commission have even signed a Memorandum of Understanding to that effect.
“These certificates will be recognized for what they are worth, not more than their value but what they are … an addition, a sign of someone with a personal motivation to study, as a sign of skilled person for so many hours in a given area. ; that’s how it’s going to be recognized in the public and private sector, ”Minister Manickchand said when signing the agreement.

VERY USEFUL

He then noted that the ‘Coursera initiative’ had sought to bring relief and address the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on critical sectors such as education and labor. Manickchand had also expressed hope that signing the agreement would help secure and even create job opportunities for the graduates, thereby helping curb unemployment.
“This is an opportunity for the people doing this upgrade, registration and grading of these programs not only to self-develop, but possibly re-enter or join the workforce,” the minister noted.
However, as the initiative continued to gain momentum and international recognition and praise, Minister Manickchand’s efforts went unnoticed. As a matter of fact, the

The MP was given the title of Commonwealth Wise Woman, eventually becoming a member of the Commonwealth Wise Women Mentoring (CWW) project, which seeks to promote positive change by empowering women and women to become leaders.
Also part of the empowerment efforts are the Commonwealth Learning Chief Executive Officer, Professor Asha Kanwar; Pro Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the Open Campus of the University of the West Indies, Luz Longsworth; Under Secretary General of the United Nations and Executive Director of UN Women, Dr. Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka and the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland QC, and Guyanese Dr. Paulette Henry.
Minister Manickchand had expressed plans to launch the Guyana Chapter of the Commonwealth’s Wise Women Mentoring Project, seeking to empower women and women, helping them to recognize their value and achieve their full potential. She had identified plans to include mentors from all sectors to help mentor candidates from all backgrounds successfully.

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