While Government is forging ahead with plans to construct several Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET) centres across the country, President Dr Irfaan Ali has disclosed that the administration is also mulling plans to establish state-of-the-art practical instruction centres and technical institutions in hinterland and rural communities.
According to the head of state, these facilities will not only specialise and provide skills training but also play a crucial role in helping Guyanese secure world-class certification for all courses offered.
He explained that the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) is actively designing the training programme, which it hopes to introduce by 2030.
“But with what we are planning now, and not only for Guyana, we want the children of our region, the CARICOM region also to have access to this. So, we are building this infrastructure for all of CARICOM. By 2030, we want your children in the hinterland and rural communities, not only to have access to quality education but have access to quality training… that will give you world-class certification from right here in your communities. So, if you are a welder, you must be able to get CTDL’s highest qualification in welding,” President Ali shared.
The president, who was at the time addressing the commissioning ceremony of the state-of-art North West Secondary School, added that the facilities will allow citizens to pursue career opportunities beyond their local market through the use of technology and digital education.
On this point, he added that the practical instruction centres and technical institutions will be designed in such a way that high school graduates will be allowed to transition into courses with ease.
“I can tell you about our vision of creating not only graduates, but functional graduates. And that’s another thing that we’ll explore in the coming weeks. How do we create functional graduates and not just graduates? And what constitutes a functional graduate? How that graduate from the school applies himself or herself to society? How we can make, move by 2030, from schools to centres of excellence where schools, a great school across the country, can compete among each other for a commercially viable innovation product.
So that we are able early in the school system to capture the imagination and minds of our children and deploy it into innovative ideas. These are the things that will set us apart,” he said.
On September 24, 2021, the North West Secondary School was destroyed by fire which the Guyana Fire Service had ruled as an act of arson.
Meanwhile, in keeping with its commitment to close the gaps between education being accessed in coast land when compared to the hinterland and rural communities, the Guyana Government has expended over $7 billion on the education system in Region One (Barima-Waini).
This was highlighted by President Ali who revealed that of the $7 billion, $1.8 billion was disbursed in Because We Care Cash Grants, $226 million in school supplies grants, $4 billion on maintenance and construction of schools and more than $80 million on textbooks.
Recalling several events that occurred during the APNU/AFC coalition’s tenure in office, Ali reminded those gathered that it was the PPP/C government that revitalized the education, forestry and agriculture sectors, all of which ‘suffered’ under the previous government.
“So, in this region, let me remind you what took place. The forestry sector went into bankruptcy. In order to get back you’re earning from the forestry sector, since we came into office, we have invested close to $1 billion to give you back your jobs and your employment in the forestry sector. More than 500,000 acres of state forests are issued to small forest concessions. We invested from Human Services, the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission, and old aged pension to ensure that the elderly are comfortable”.
“So, from 2023 to 2024, we’ve invested almost $1.7 billion for pensioners in this region. People living with disability, we’ve invested close to $100 billion, public assistance, we’ve invested close to $185 billion. These are real investments all geared at making your life easier because we understand when your life is easier, less stress, less burden, you’re creating a much more comfortable learning environment for your children,” the President said.
