ExxonMobil Guyana says the next phase of its US$100 million science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) initiative in Guyana will place stronger emphasis on preparing teachers and helping students better understand career opportunities in science and technology fields.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Education (MoE), ExxonMobil will soon identify teachers to receive enhanced STEM training during the September school term. This is according to the company’s President, Alistair Routledge, who explained that part of the programme includes digital learning support and teacher development.
“… that includes bringing the likes of Khan Academy – an online education platform to help supplement the educational materials and systems that are available to students today. It includes bringing enhanced training for STEM teachers. So, we’ll collaborate with the Ministry. They’re identifying teachers who, in September, will receive enhanced STEM education training,” he said at a March 19 press conference.
Routledge said this approach aims to strengthen the education pipeline supporting Guyana’s rapidly growing energy sector and broader technical workforce.
“What we want to do is to provide that opportunity space… and open the doors to so many phenomenal opportunities across so many sectors… We see this benefiting everything from agriculture to education, from the energy sector to tourism,” Routledge said.
Routledge explained that the program will be managed through a dedicated foundation structure. “We’re establishing a local branch of our foundation, so that this is treated as a foundation activity… The money is not going to be cost-recovered; this is ExxonMobil’s donation in this space, a hundred percent,” Routledge said.
He added that other companies may also participate in the initiative. “We are already speaking to some who see this as a great platform,” Routledge said.
As part of the initiative, a network of STEM education centres is planned, with ExxonMobil considering establishing the first centre at the University of Guyana.
