The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) STEMGuyana has launched a revolutionary learning system to prepare local youths for pivotal roles in the oil and gas sector. It focuses on teaching vital Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) skills to students from Grades One to Grade 11. Undoubtedly, the program sets students on a dynamic path to acquire the expertise to power an oil-based economy. The system will also enhance students’ critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity, giving them the confidence to detect and solve technological problems when they enter the workforce.
Founded in 2016, STEMGuyana currently has four programs for students of all ages. According to Operations Manager Ms. Alisha Koulen, there are over 2,000 people involved in the program from across Guyana. She noted that the NGO aims to make this approach to education available to all students to not only increase their knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics but also develop their soft skills, which include good communication and interpersonal skills, leadership, problem-solving, work ethic, time management, and teamwork.
“At the end of any program we do, we want them to be well-rounded individuals; the students must be able to speak boldly to people, speak in front of a camera… they must be able to present, to host training sessions and to teach what they learn to other young people,” the Operations Manager said. With little knowledge about STEM education and a passion for technology, Koulen herself started working with STEMGuyana as a Program Analyst in 2021, and she was responsible for just one program.
Two years later, she is responsible for the operations of the four programs run by the NGO, which has 20 STEM clubs, 41 learning pods, a Drone Soccer program, and a Parent Academy program. The STEM clubs are self-sustainable and teach students Math and Science via tech activities. In the interactive sessions, students learn to use coding to create animations or robots to explain various topics.
The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) is funding the learning pods at USD 950,000 and providing a physical location, laptops, tablets, and other resources for children seven to 15 years old to learn Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. This program caters to vulnerable communities and runs for three years. It also includes the support of an in-person facilitator and an online teacher.
The Drone Soccer program offers students the opportunity to learn about drone technology, an in-demand skill in many global industries. “Of course, we do robotics and coding, but we want them to have a higher advantage, a better opportunity. We want them to have access, so we will be participating in the championship – the Drone World Cup competition in 2025,” Koulen said.
The NGO is preparing to relaunch its Parent Academy, designed to involve parents in STEM activities. “We understand that parents play a pivotal role in the children’s performances, whether it’s tech, robotics or simple academia, the parents’ involvement is significant, as it has significant impact on the child’s performance,” she noted, adding that parents will be allowed to learn about STEM and volunteer in some aspects of the programs.
These programs prepare youths for critical jobs in the expanding local economy, Koulen noted, especially by providing opportunities for creative youths in the local workforce as the oil and gas sector expands. Therefore, STEMGuyana prepares inventive youths to pursue further studies related to that sector.
“Most of the jobs now require a STEM background. You have to have a Science background, an Engineering background or a Tech background, and Math is incorporated in all three of those areas,” she noted. Since many jobs in the petroleum sector require advanced qualifications and knowledge of technology, STEMGuyana puts Guyanese youths on a path to acquire these skills, she said.
Noting that remote working opportunities and the use of online portals for human resources has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic, Koulen said STEMGuyana helps students to access new job opportunities and develop programs to help solve modern issues. “We’re hoping that not only in Guyana but abroad, we can get young people to be more marketable and, in some ways, bring collaborative efforts so we can provide more opportunities,” she said.
