Govt will continue to invest in education
— 11 vocational centres to be built across Guyana
DPI, Guyana, Saturday, August 3, 2019
As first oil draws closer, the government will continue to invest in the education sector. The Director-General (DG) of the Ministry of the Presidency, Joseph Harmon made this pledge to residents of Linden.
He was at the time delivering the feature address at the Freedom Fest Emancipation celebration on August 1. The perfect weather allowed hundreds of Lindeners to turn up at the Wisroc playfield, dressed in their colourful array of African wear to celebrate the Freedom Fest, in observance of 181st anniversary of Emancipation.
The DG assured Lindeners that the government will continue on the trajectory started by their fore parents who sought to transform Guyana – through the village movement – from a plantation to a developed nation.
“Our ancestors pursued an economic undertaking which was built on three pillars: education, religion and agriculture which were deemed the cradle of the village movement and by extension, the cradle of Guyana’s development…. We must recognise this as the foundation on which to develop and move the country forward when the oil comes,” Harmon said.
He noted that the Coalition Government has invested significant funds into the education sector with over $6Billion allocated in the 2019 Budget. “This is why we [government] said that we want to make the nation, an education nation, a nation that is driven on education. That is the key that will take us into centuries going forward with oil.”
The administration will also invest in vocational education as there are many opportunities in this field, available in the oil and gas industry. To this end, he announced that the government intends to establish 11 modern vocational centres across the country with one to be built in Linden.
He explained that the vocational centres will provide a second chance for those students who are not academically inclined and who have not met the basic requirements to complete secondary school. “What we are doing now, is making sure that no child is left behind in the education system, that at the academic level and the practical level, we cater for everyone.”
Harmon’s pledge echoed what His Excellency, President David Granger said during his Emancipation speech at Union/Number 53 Village in Berbice. The Head of State said with the expected revenues from the imminent oil production his administration will honour Article 27 of the Constitution of Guyana which states – “Every citizen has the right to free education from nursery to university, as well as at non-formal places where opportunities are provided for education and training.”
Production of first oil is expected to begin early 2020.