Guyana needs Yale and Stanford, not APNU’s closed classrooms  – Min Anthony

Minister of Health Dr Frank Anthony reprimanded Opposition Member of Parliament Coretta McDonald for her misguided defence of an antiquated political system that restricted public servants from accessing genuine opportunities.

McDonald said that the government’s partnership with Coursera, a top online training platform in the U.S., is not appropriate for training public servants because it doesn’t match the Bertram Collins College.

Bertram College was established in 2016, but was closed four years ago due to accusations that it was “a front” for the previous coalition government.

Responding to McDonald’s criticisms of Coursera, Minister Anthony said it reveals her failure to recognise a training platform based on merit.

Under the Public Service Upskilling Programme, public servants from all regions can obtain internationally recognised certificates from top universities and institutions, without discrimination or political bias.

When compared to Coursera, “Bertram Collins College was not a bastion of excellence; it was a political institution, crafted during the APNU period to instil party loyalty rather than develop the intellectual capacity or professional competence of public servants,” the minister stated.

As Guyana continues to transform rapidly in all sectors of the economy, Minister Anthony argued that a modern public service will require skills in crucial areas such as data science, project management, digital transformation, and public health – all of which are taught by Coursera’s global experts.

At the platform’s launch, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali revealed that top-performing nations, including Singapore, the United States, the United Kingdom, Finland and China, utilise the same platform to train their workforce.

“The opposite of McDonald’s claim is true: Coursera produces empowered, critical thinkers. These are not ideological foot soldiers; they are highly competent professionals equipped to navigate a complex, evolving global economy and apply fresh, disciplined thought to their duties,” Minister Anthony said.

He emphasised that what Guyana requires now is not institutions to reinforce party loyalty, but a training initiative that will drive innovation and inclusivity.

“McDonald’s stance is a relic of a bygone era, one that Guyana has long outgrown,” he stated, adding that “Education must evolve, or it will fail. Bertram Collins College was firmly rooted in the past. Coursera is a tool for the future.”

Through the Coursera partnership, Guyana stands ready to train 27,000 public servants in a single year.

It powerfully champions the government’s broader agenda to modernise the public service, equips the workforce for a rapidly evolving economy, and guarantees that all Guyanese reap the benefits of increased educational access, transcending mere political affiliations.

To register for the programme, you can visit https://c4b-integration.com/mpsgov for more information.