Couple turns passion for science into study app for students

Husband-and-wife Lokoya and Curtly Critchlow have teamed up to develop a study app for students.

The couple’s passion for science merged well with their individual strengths—Curtly’s background in technology and Lokoya’s extensive years as a teacher— to produce Lokademy, an artificial intelligence (AI) study tool.

In an interview with the News Room, the couple explained how this app assists students who may not have access to afterschool lessons.

Lokoya said she was inspired to find a way for every student, whether in Guyana or beyond, to access extra support. With the support of her husband, she was able to get this project off the ground and roll out a 24/7 AI-powered Chatbot.

Lokademy offers interactive CSEC courses in Biology, Chemistry, Integrated Science, and Physics, all built in line with various CSEC syllabi to ensure there are no conflicts with what students are taught in school.

“Unlike traditional lessons that last an hour or two, Lokademy gives continuous support.

“Students can ask questions, practice, and master topics at their own pace,” Lokoya said.

Curtly, a software developer and reservist in the Guyana Defence Force, brought his technical expertise to the project. Though his first degree was in biology, his career shifted after discovering how coding could automate data analysis.

“Once I saw how programming could make complex work easier, I was hooked,” he said.

Now, he uses that same technology to make learning easier for students. He said the chatbot is trained specifically on the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) syllabi, providing accurate and contextual responses.

The app, available on both Google Play and the App Store, allows users to create a free account and access a CSEC Success Toolkit, with premium courses available for US$25 or G$5,000 per month.

The Critchlows will be showcasing Lokademy at GuyExpo, marking their first public display of the platform.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to introduce this homegrown education technology to Guyana,” Curtly said.

In addition to supporting students, Lokademy offers an affiliate programme for teachers, allowing them to earn a commission for every student they refer and custom AI learning systems for businesses to streamline onboarding and training. The app can be downloaded here: https://www.lokademy.com/app