CDB representatives tour Fellowship Practical Instruction Centre
On Thursday afternoon, the Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), and several high-level representatives from the CDB’s member countries and global institutions were given a tour of the Fellowship Practical Instruction Centre in Region Three.
The expansion and rehabilitation of the Fellowship Practical Instruction Centre was executed through the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP) which is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank.
During brief remarks, Deputy Chief Education Officer- Technical, Dr. Ritesh Tularam stated that the Ministry of Education is committed to strategically strengthening and improving access to Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) across the country.
He noted that in an effort to realize this overarching goal of providing quality, relevance, and equality of TVET delivery to every citizen in Guyana, the Ministry of Education and by extension the Government of Guyana continues to foster strong partnerships and networking with key funding agencies to realize this essential strategic position for TVET.
Project Coordinator, Mr. Theron Siebs in his remarks, said that under the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project, Practical Instruction Departments (PIDs) of three (3) secondary schools in the hinterland as well as three Practical Instruction Centres (PICs) from Regions Three, Four and Five, were chosen to refurbish and expand their workshops, classrooms and laboratories.
Mr. Siebs said that this assisted with the implementation of the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) certification in five subject areas as the main objective was to increase the number of secondary school graduates with the appropriate skills and competencies to successfully enter the job market, embark into an economic enterprise, or pursue appropriate postsecondary/tertiary education and training.
Principal of the Fellowship Practical Instruction Centre, Mr. Julian Cambridge stated that the programme has made a difference in the lives of countless students. He noted that not only has TVET programmes equipped students with technical skills, it also helped build their leadership skills and self-confidence.
During a tour of the facility, the delegation observed students in the electrical, woodworking, and the food and nutrition department.