By: Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News |
A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) has raised a series of concerns about the Government of Guyana’s partnership with Coursera to provide online upskilling courses that will reportedly influence promotions within the public service.
The Opposition’s 12 Members of Parliament are expected to determine whether the issue will be brought to the National Assembly through a motion, formal questions, or direct engagement with the relevant ministries.
MP Ganesh Mahipaul confirmed that the party is still assessing its options, stating:
“We’re yet to fashion how we will proceed, but we have released our position on the matter. Nothing stops us from engaging directly as we did with the Single Window Bill.”
Concerns Over Transparency and Cost
In a formal statement, APNU criticized the government for failing to disclose key details about the Coursera partnership, including:
- Cost of the programme
- Procurement method
- Expected number of beneficiaries
- Criteria for participation
- Evaluation framework
- Data protection measures for public servants using a foreign platform
Campbell: Value for Money and Credibility at Issue
APNU’s Parliamentary Leader and Shadow Minister of Finance & Health, Dr. Terrence Campbell, questioned whether the certifications being offered through Coursera would meaningfully contribute to Guyana’s human capacity development.
“We’re paying for people to get certifications through Coursera, but how valuable are these certifications? How much are they adding to the development of our human capacity?”
Dr. Campbell also expressed concern about the legitimacy of some institutions featured on the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), referencing the past controversy with the International School of Development and Creativity (ISDC), which had claimed affiliation with Staffordshire University—an affiliation later debunked.
“It raises questions about what happened to the money paid to ISDC and what efforts were made to recover it.”
Matching Skills to the Job Market
The Shadow Minister stressed that Guyanese must be able to apply for jobs at home and abroad without having their credentials questioned.
“For both our non-oil and oil economies, citizens must have the right skills. Too often we look externally for expertise. Our question is whether Coursera is fit for purpose at this time.”
Courses “Unregulated and Insufficient,” Says Shadow Education Minister
In a letter to the press, Shadow Minister of Education and Labour Keta McDonald argued that Coursera courses are not appropriate for professional public service development.
She described the offerings as:
“Unregulated, unaccredited, generic, cursory, and externally oriented.”
McDonald added:
“They may be helpful for hobbyists or international learners seeking surface-level exposure, but they are completely insufficient for developing the academic, ethical, cultural, administrative, and ministry-specific capacity required of Guyanese public servants.”
The Government has not yet responded to these assertions.
