Serious about fast-tracking its plans for regional expansion, online learning company EduFocal Limited has been named among a delegation that will embark on a trip to Guyana later this month.

Chief executive officer (CEO) of EduFocal Gordon Swaby told the Jamaica Observer that for the upcoming trip, he is looking to create partnership opportunities for his company while gaining a deeper understanding of the Guyana market.

EduFocal, as an educational technology solutions provider, offers services through online learning platforms and digital content. The company provides online study courses for Primary Exit Profile (PEP) studies along with other corporate learning programmes.

“We want to dialogue with stakeholders in that country, particularly in Government. So there is likely to be possible meetings with the minister of education as well as other members of the private sector as we look to collaborate on educational opportunities in Guyana,” he said to the Business Observer.

“From a corporate learning perspective, I think there are opportunities for us to partner with private sector to develop content around specific areas of interest. Going there with the delegation led by Mr Hill will give us the opportunity to meet with the relevant stakeholders in a [diplomatic] way. We are optimistic that we will come back to Jamaica with opportunities that we can leverage this year,” he added.

The delegation to be led by Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce Senator Aubyn Hill is scheduled to visit Guyana from January 23-28 and while there, delegates will seek to explore business opportunities in that country. From the meetings to be held with government officials and business leaders in Guyana, discussions around investment opportunities in various sectors such as education, technology and tourism will take centre stage.

After securing a $200-million loan facility from Mayberry Investments last year, the company indicated that it would be aggressively pushing its business to new markets across the region — even as it restructures operations and add new products and services.

“We’ve always had a mission of expanding regionally and this mission will allow us to fast-track that. While we have not secured a partnership as yet, our plan in going to Guyana is to explore the possibilities for such. We already have a strong partnership with the Ministry of Education here in Jamaica, so we want to similarly establish similar relations with the ministry in Guyana and I think we are well positioned for that,” Swaby said.

The edtech company, which has also indicated its intent to re-engage studies for the Caribbean Examinations Council’s (CXC) Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) exams in the near future, said the trip to Guyana potentially opens up the opportunity to do so.

“Yes, CXC is one, but there are a number of other opportunities that we’re seeing if we can leverage while in Guyana.

“Were looking at opportunities in Trinidad now and there are a number of prospects in other Caribbean islands that we are aggressively pursuing, but Jamaica is still our main source of growth,”Swaby further said.

Up the nine-month period ended September, the company saw increased revenues of $156.6 million, though posting losses of $16.1 million which it attributed to higher administrative and finance costs incurred as the group continues to expand its offerings.