Minister of Education Commissions US$1.9M Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre

The Honourable Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Tuesday officially commissioned the US$1.9 million Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre at Mahaica-Berbice, Region 5.

This state-of-the-art facility was implemented under the Ministry of Education’s Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project. The commissioning of this facility marks a significant achievement in the government’s ongoing efforts to modernize and expand technical and vocational education across the country.

The Centre has been retrofitted and expanded to provide Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level 1 training in five occupational areas: Graphic Arts Workshop, Commercial Food Preparation, Masonry/Plumbing, Electrical Installation, Housekeeping, and Carpentry Making.

The project’s primary goal is to enhance access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and reduce unemployment among the target population of 400 students. With these new facilities and training programs, the institution is set to become a leading hub for skills training in Region 5, offering young people and adults alike the opportunity to build technical expertise and improve their employability.

The establishment of the Centre is expected to significantly benefit the principal, teachers, workshop assistants, students, early school leavers, and members of the surrounding communities in Region 5, along with three neighbouring schools and the Ministry of Education. By increasing access to high-quality vocational training, this initiative directly aligns with the government’s broader mission of fostering economic growth and reducing unemployment. The project activities included the construction of a Learning Resource Centre, a Commercial Food Preparation building, a Graphics Workshop, and a Sanitary Block with a Changing Room.

Additionally, the Housekeeping and Carpentry Making building was rehabilitated, and new tools and equipment were supplied and installed for each workshop. These infrastructural developments ensure that students and instructors have access to modern, industry-standard training environments that will better prepare them for the workforce.

Students at the Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre will now have access to CVQ Level 1 training in Graphic Arts, Electrical Installation, Commercial Food Preparation, Masonry/Plumbing, Housekeeping, and Carpentry Making. With these new offerings, graduates will be equipped with recognized certification that will enable them to pursue further education or enter the workforce with marketable skills. The institution now boasts a Learning Resource Centre, two rehabilitated workshops, modernized training equipment, and a newly constructed washroom block with provisions for persons with disabilities.

Additionally, the Centre offers a second-chance evening program for individuals looking to enhance their skills and employability. This inclusive approach ensures that individuals who may have missed out on traditional education pathways still have an opportunity to gain qualifications and improve their economic prospects.

This initiative was made possible through strategic collaboration among key stakeholders, including the Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Ministry of Finance, the Council for TVET, the Ministry of Labour, the Regional Democratic Council of Region 5, and the Neighbourhood Democratic Council. These partnerships were instrumental in bringing the project to fruition, demonstrating the value of cooperation between government agencies, financial institutions, and local authorities in advancing national development goals.

The Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre is not just an investment in infrastructure but an investment in people. It represents a tangible commitment to empowering citizens with the skills they need to secure meaningful employment and contribute to the national economy. The new programs in Commercial Food Preparation, Graphic Arts, and Masonry/Plumbing provide students with hands-on, practical experience in high-demand fields. By offering a structured learning environment equipped with industry-relevant tools and resources, the Centre bridges the gap between education and employment, fostering a skilled workforce that is prepared to meet the evolving needs of the job market.

Dr. Ritesh Tularam, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical), underscored the Ministry’s commitment to creating seamless educational pathways that guide students from secondary school into technical careers. He highlighted the implementation of competency-based education models in secondary schools, ensuring that every student is exposed to TVET subjects early in their academic journey.

“The Ministry of Education would’ve ensured that all the necessary systems are in place, mechanisms are in place to ensure that our students are transiting in a very smooth way, from the entrance of their Secondary School life, ultimately to the exiting of their secondary school life.

We would’ve launched the CCSLC in our secondary schools. That programme mirrors a competency-based education modus. It means that every child will be exposed to a TVET subject, as articulated by the Honourable Minister of Education. And so, from Grade seven, we are chartering the pathway in a very systematic fashion so that our students can realize their career projection in becoming an engineer, an architect, a masonry and all the other areas we’re talking about, especially in technical education,” the DCEO-Technical explained.

Speaking at the ceremony, Honourable Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, reflected on the significant strides made in educational development across Region 5. She detailed the government’s ongoing projects, including the expansion of teacher training facilities, extensive school rehabilitations, and efforts to ensure universal access to nursery, primary, and secondary education.

The Minister also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to providing all students with necessary resources, such as textbooks, to support their academic success. In addition, she announced the commencement date for the ‘Because We Care’ Cash Grant, aimed at alleviating financial burdens on families and ensuring continued student participation in education.

“We started around 2022 at Belladrum, the teacher training college so that your teachers don’t have to travel to New Amsterdam or to Turkeyen. We are repairing significantly, at a cost of either $300M or $400M, the Bush Lot Secondary School, we are repairing significantly also, the Fort Wellington Secondary School, we’re re-building a Nursery School at Number Eight, we’re looking to move a primary school from the riverbank to further in – that’s Number Ten at Mahaica De Hoop. Every school in this region has been rehabilitated, one way or another. From De Hoop, to Hopetown, to Belladrum, to Number Eight, to Rosignol which we made a list ‘A’ school and then an ‘A’ level school – we did that two years ago- so now, we have CAPE happening in the region, the children don’t have to go down to town.

She went on to add that Region Five has achieved Universal Nursery, Primary and Secondary Education:

“I’m happy to tell you that this is one of the few regions where we have achieved Universal Secondary Education. That means every single child in this region could access, at a place close to their homes, or be facilitated at a dormitory, a discreet secondary school. So, right now, we’re building 28 secondary schools across the country and not a single one is being built in region five. We’re rehabilitating Region Five schools, but that is because we have already achieved universal secondary education”

“We’re making sure every child has all the textbooks they need and that are recommended from Grades One all the way to Grade Twelve. In this region, like other regions, we have not forgotten a single community. We’re committed at the Ministry of Education and in the government to make sure that despite the noise and the narratives, that we focus on that ethos, that ideology.”

Speaking on the ‘Because We Care’ Cash Grant, Minister Mnaickchand noted, “Over the last four years, it’s been the smoothest process. You come, once your children’s name is on the register. The only problem is that we always have a line, and that’s because there’s always a line. But this year, we’re making it less cumbersome by expanding the number of schools. So, we’re not grouping schools. This will happen in your school or the school your child was registered in as of the 28th of March 2025,” she explained.

The commissioning of the Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre marks a significant step in strengthening TVET in Guyana, equipping young people with the skills and training necessary to access meaningful employment opportunities. The Ministry of Education remains committed to fostering technical education and ensuring that all citizens have enhanced access to career-driven learning pathways. As the demand for skilled professionals continues to grow, initiatives like this will play a crucial role in shaping the future workforce and driving national economic development.