President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to improving pay, allowances, training and resources for teachers, while urging educators to embrace new technologies without losing the human connection at the heart of education.
In his message marking World Teachers’ Day 2026, Ali said Guyana’s education system is undergoing significant transformation as smart classrooms, digital technologies, online resources and artificial intelligence become increasingly integrated into teaching and learning.
The president said that while AI offers teachers powerful tools to prepare lessons, develop educational materials, tailor instruction to students’ needs and make learning more engaging, technology cannot replace the role of educators.
“Technology can never replace the teacher,” Ali said, stressing that AI cannot replicate the wisdom, judgment, empathy and understanding teachers bring to the classroom or the encouragement they provide to students facing difficulties.
Ali said the growing use of AI also creates challenges for educators in determining whether students’ assignments reflect their own knowledge and effort or were substantially generated by artificial intelligence.
The development, he said, requires educators and policymakers to rethink how learning is assessed and, more broadly, what learning means in an age when students can instantly access increasingly sophisticated technological tools.
Rather than rejecting AI and other emerging technologies, Ali called for children to be taught to use them responsibly, ethically and intelligently.
He said students must learn to question information instead of simply accepting it, understand answers rather than merely obtaining them, and develop sound judgment about when and how technology should be used.
The president said teachers must also be adequately prepared to guide students through the changing educational environment.
“Our teachers must continually upgrade their knowledge and skills,” Ali said, adding that educators must understand how emerging technologies work and, more importantly, how they can be used to improve learning outcomes.
Ali said his government remains committed to expanding access to training and professional development and providing teachers with the resources needed for the classroom of the future.
“We are committed to better pay, improved allowances, grants to support teaching and learning, more opportunities for training and greater morale among our teachers,” he said.
The president also underscored the wider role teachers play beyond academics, describing them as central to educating, empowering and inspiring the next generation.
He urged educators across Guyana to continue inspiring young minds, shaping character and helping to build the country’s future.
Ali concluded by extending his appreciation to teachers past and present for their contribution to Guyana’s children and national development.
“On this World Teachers’ Day 2026, I extend my warmest and genuine thanks and best wishes to every teacher across our nation,” he said.