By Dacia Richards | HGP Nightly News
The Ministry of Education officially launched its biannual Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Fair on Wednesday under the theme “Innovative Solutions Through STEAM for Sustainable Development in Guyana.” The opening ceremony took place at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre.
Delivering the feature address, Education Minister Priya Manickchand emphasized the transformative potential of the event, stating that students’ creativity can even help guide teachers in reshaping their approach to education.
“Children can help teachers develop new teaching methods. It teaches our teachers that maybe our methods are a little outdated and we need to look at how children are now learning,” Manickchand explained.
She also noted that the innovations on display will serve as a source of inspiration, not only to students and educators, but to citizens across Guyana — from coastal towns to hinterland communities.
“We hope this inspires the entire population through visuals at the fair and televised broadcasts,” the minister added.
According to Chief Education Officer Saddam Hussain and other officials, the national STEAM Fair is the culmination of district-level events held in all 11 educational districts during March and early April. These preliminary fairs featured outstanding entries that were selected to compete at the national level.
This year’s event has attracted over 210 projects from primary, lower secondary, upper secondary, and tertiary institutions, reflecting a diverse array of innovative thinking rooted in local knowledge and real-world applications.
Organizers say that one of the fair’s key goals is to build students’ confidence in presenting scientific concepts and explaining the creative processes behind their inventions. The projects emphasize sustainability, climate resilience, education technology, agriculture, and clean energy solutions, aligning with Guyana’s national development goals.
The STEAM Fair is considered a crucial platform for nurturing young talent and equipping students with the tools to become problem-solvers and innovators in a rapidly changing world.
