MOE continues to push for universal access to TVET

-commissions US$1.9M TVET facility in Region Five

Guyana is advancing towards universal access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) as the Ministry of Education expands its infrastructure to support skills development.

A US$1.9 million Practical Institute was commissioned in Hopetown, Region Five on Tuesday,  bringing the ministry closer to ensuring citizens gain valuable technical skills.

The facility will train 400 students in fields such as commercial food preparation, graphic arts, and plumbing.

The project, funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in collaboration with the Government of Guyana, was initially planned for 2014 but was abandoned by the previous Administration. It was revived in 2020 as part of the government’s broader efforts to expand TVET infrastructure.

Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand  attributed this accomplishment to the government’s unfaltering commitment to bettering the lives of Guyanese, especially the younger generation.

She further highlighted how these initiatives will prove beneficial as Guyana experiences rapid development in several key sectors, such as the burgeoning oil and gas sector and the expanding construction industry.

“We believe skill is wealth…we have to train our young people to benefit from the oil and gas sector, we have to train our young people to benefit from the construction sector. We have to train our young people,” she said.

As new hotels are constructed and the government fulfils its manifesto promise of distributing 50,000 house lots, the need for skilled personnel becomes pertinent.

As such, the ministry’s efforts are not only empowering students to become employable members of society but also aiming to bridge gaps in the labour force.

Minister Manickchand noted that the ministry’s focus is not limited to Region Four and the nearby regions but extends to every child in every corner of Guyana.

“But we don’t stop the service in Region Five. Next week or next two weeks we go to Region Nine to open a very similar facility, deep in the hinterland, the forested highland regions to open a very similar facility for the children of Region Nine. A few months ago, we opened a very similar facility at Mabaruma in Region One. We opened one a few weeks ago at Fellowship in Region Three. And we have more,” she said.

Continuing along the lines of student empowerment, the ministry is set to soon launch a TVET policy within the following week.

With the commissioning of this building, Region Five is nearing the accomplishment of universal access to TVET, adding to the existing achievements of region-wide access to nursery, primary and secondary education.