– amidst calls for the institution to be upgraded to a polytechnic
SOME 511 students has graduated from the Government Technical Institute (GTI) amidst calls for the institute to become polytechnic (a college offering a range of courses, some of them vocational or technical at or below the bachelor’s degree level).

GTI graduates at the National Cultural Centre during the 56th graduation ceremony (Carl Croaker photo)

Education Minister Shaik Baksh, who delivered the feature address at the institution’s 56th graduation ceremony at the National Cultural Centre last Thursday, said the role of technical institutes will be greater as increasing emphasis is being placed on technical and vocational education in Guyana.

He also pledged the support of his Ministry to the technical institute in its endeavours to reach polytechnic status.

Speaking to the graduates Baksh said, ‘If you would have passed through the Government Technical Institute you would have been motivated, you would have been inspired to lifelong learning…I want to encourage you to move on and see a high percentage of you entering the University of Guyana.”

In this regard, the Education Minister posited that the graduates are the engineers of the future, Guyana’s tomorrow.

“Set that as your aspiration, become the engineers of tomorrow,” Baksh urged. “Building skills will be important to the development of Guyana, building skills will also be important for the eradication of poverty because it will provide you with the income that you want and will open windows of opportunities,” Baksh exhorted.

The minister added that because of this Guyana has been investing in technical education, something that is visible with the operations of eight technical institutes around the country.

He also pointed out that in the construction of two more technical institutes: in Leonora, Region Three (Essequibo Islands/West Demerara) and Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica/ Berbice); will begin in the first quarter of 2010 with financial support from the Caribbean Development Bank amounting to US$7.5M.

Baksh disclosed too that with the development of the Education Strategic Plan the Ministry has also set several ambitious goals to advance the delivery of quality education in Guyana.

Among these are: the provision of resources over the next five years to re-tool and re-equip the technical institutes; the furnishing of computer laboratories; developing the skills of students making them ready for the world of work; and increase collaborations with secondary schools to cater for children more inclined to be involved in technical and vocational fields.

Relative to the later provision, Principal of GTI, Mr. Onwuzirike Chinedu, asserted that the perception of technical education by many people needs to be changed. “If students are academically challenged they cannot succeed at technical institutes,” he said, “The society’s perception and views say that those academically challenged are the ones who attend technical institutes. These people are wrong.”

He explained that at the technical institute’s students cover a wide academically based curriculum that include Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Integrated Science among other areas.

Chinedu said, “The technical institutes are the place where theories of science are transformed into reality.”

To this end, the Principal highlighted that this year’s pass rate was 72.6 per cent and is the highest pass rate in the history of the institute but noted that the successes were not without their constraints, among which are inadequate finances for capital works, inability to retain qualified fulltime and part time lecturers and the need to have a revised curriculum.

However, despite this the Principal said the Institute plays a critical role in positioning Guyana in its rightful place in the global village.

The Government Technical Institute was established in 1951 and offers educational training to Guyanese youths and adults in technical, commercial and scientific fields.

Presently the institute offers approximately 40 courses and Thursday’s graduates completed studies at the GTI’s Building Department, Business Department, Electrical Department, Land Surveying Department, Mechanical Department, Science Department and Computer Science Department.

According to the Chairman of the Board of Governors, Maj. Gen. (Rt.) Norman McLean, computerisation of the institute is an upcoming task that the institute is working towards.

He stated that GTI has made strides and will continue to do so in an effort to advance quality of output from the institute.

Head of the Commonwealth, Queen Elizabeth 11 and Heads of Government of Commonwealth Countries at the opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference in Trinidad and Tobago on November 27, 2009.
President Bharrat Jagdeo and South African President Jacob Zuma during bilaterals in Trinidad and Tobago yesterday.