THE final 66 of the 140 students who participated in the 2014 work-study programme with the Guyana Defence Force were presented with certificates of participation at a simple closing ceremony at Base Camp Ayanganna on Friday last. 

Seventy-four other students had completed their attachments earlier.
Staff Officer One General Five, Major Lorraine Foster, congratulated the students on their success at the 2014 CSEC examinations, and encouraged them to continue working hard to achieve future goals.

“On behalf of the Chief of Staff and all the officers and ranks of the GDF, I congratulate you all. To those who realised their dreams, you have gained the fruits of your labour; however, those of you who may have fallen short of the mark, know that this is not the end of the road,” she said.

“You can return to school and re-sit those subjects in which you did not fare well. You have the opportunity to enhance your performance by being a bit more disciplined and dedicated.

“Those of you, who are continuing on to university, understand that you cannot take the high school mentality there with you. You are going to have to mature very quickly, and continue to work hard to be successful,” she added.

“Those of you who are going on to the world of work, it is our hope that you have learned from us much that you can take to your places of employment that will make you excellent employees and assets to the various firms. You, too, will have to dedicate yourselves and work hard.

“And to those returning to school to resit exams, be diligent, study harder, and commit yourselves to excellence. The Guyana Defence Force wishes you all well in whatever future undertakings you pursue!” Major Foster concluded.

The Work-Study programme is an annual activity that sees the GDF providing on-the-job learning experience for students graduating from various educational institutions across the country.
The students who participate each year are drawn from the Ministry of Education, the Kuru Kuru Co-operative College, the Government Technical Institute, GRECO, and a few private educational institutions.

The GDF’s partnership with these educational institutions is in keeping with the Force’s remit to contribute to national development by aiding youths to gain the much-needed experiences of the workplace, which are vital for developing appreciation for the world of work. During Friday’s closing ceremony, some students performed a poetry recital.

(Asif Hakim)