Private sector entity takes education to the pinnacle
THE COMMISSIONING by President Bharrat Jagdeo last Monday, of the magnificent $75M state-of-the-art edifice to house Nations University at 41 and 42 New Market Street, Cummingsburg, was a watershed moment for the institution, which, under the shrewd and visionary management of entrepreneurs, Dr. and Mrs. Brian O’Toole, has seen a sole private sector entity, taking education to the pinnacle in Guyana.
Poised resplendent on the education complex, and elegantly overlooking the immaculate network of buildings designed and financed by the U.K-born couple, Nations University and the School of the Nations, have literally and impressively transformed the landscape in that part of Cummingsburg.
Of significance, the commissioning took place on the opening day of the new academic year, which affords the growing tertiary student population (including students of the first ever Masters in Business Administration (MBA degree) programme), comfortable accommodation on the premises.
Thank you, Mr. President  
But more importantly, it was opportune that all this happened before President Jagdeo demitted his second term of office, so that he was able to officiate at the launching of  the important project, designed to benefit the nation, and which had his blessing from the very inception. Director of the School and University, Dr. O’Toole, in a moving show of appreciation, publicly acknowledged the President’s support.
Dr.O’Toole recalled that, during negotiations to acquire the New Market Street property, he came upon a snag, and it was with President Jagdeo’s  personal intervention, that the educational institution was given preference over other entrepreneurs to purchase, on the grounds that the land was to be used for educational purposes and would make a significant impact on the Tiger Bay community.
Nations University, which has been in existence for the last six years, emerged out of  what began 15 years ago, as the School of Nations operating out of a rented property, located at Parade Street, Kingston.  With a mandate to offer quality education it first catered for Nursery through to third form. Each year an extra grade was added. In the first two years students were prepared for the Caribbean examinations, but then the school moved to offer IGCSE and AS and AL examinations from Cambridge University in UK. The students continue to excel at these examinations. This year, for example, the pass rate for the AL examinations was 97% with 65%
of all the passes being at Grades A, B or C.
Meanwhile, through the years, overwhelming numbers of students, having graduated from School of Nations and Nations University have been able to acquire good paying jobs in Guyana, while others have moved on the University of Guyana to pursue degree programmes in subject areas not yet offered by Nations University.  Many others too, have migrated to Canada, the USA, the United Kingdom, and parts of the Caribbean to continue their studies.

External linkages
While still at Parade Street venue, the management of Nations University in 2005, developed a relationship with the Cambridge University, London, which allowed the local university to offer International Diplomas .  Programmes offered included Business, teacher training and ICT.
Over time, they formed a partnership with the University of London which allowed them to provide tuition in Guyana for University of London degree programmes in the areas of: Sociology, Economics, Accounts, Information Systems and Management, Business Management, International Relations, International Development  and Law.
Nations has now formed another partnership with the Australian Institute of Business to provide the MBA degree in Guyana. This programme is due to start in the next few weeks. The first batch is almost full, students are also enrolling for the second batch that is due to begin in November.
Dr. O’Toole remarked that the students attending Nations University were at a distinct advantage in terms of pursuing the University of London degrees or the Australian MBA course in that they,  “They never had to leave Guyana for even one day in order to complete the programmes” and  they could pursue these programmes at a fraction of what it would cost if they were to enroll for the same programmes in UK or Australia.
So far, more than 1400 students have completed the International Diploma with the Cambridge University, the Institute of Commerce in Management (England); or the Association of Business Executives (ABE) programmes through Nations University. The overall pass rates for these programmes is 78%.    Dr. O’Toole expressed confidence that in the near future, hundreds more students will be pursuing the London University degree programmes through Nations University.   He has expressed gratitude to his wonderful wife – a tower of strength and his hard working and supportive staff for making all this possible.
Now Nations University is moving into new areas. An accounting school has been established which will be offering ACCA and CAT courses. ABE classes are also soon to begin. In addition a Language School is being established with students from Brazil.     

Challenge
But life is not without challenges.  Having set itself quite an enviable record of pass rates at examinations, numbers on role at the Parade Street facility increased rapidly, necessitating a shift to a venue offering more adequate accommodation.  After an intense search, a property was located, bordering the then heavily stigmatized ‘Tiger Bay’ community.  The challenge here, was that some persons were not happy about having the school go into such an  environment. Dr. O’Toole had the challenge of convincing some people that in fact the location is ideal.
And true enough, today there’s a success story coming out of this. The School of Nations quickly got about developing a positive  relationship with both the youth and their parents from the area, out of which only good could come. The school has been very accommodating; has been instilling in them – moral values; has had them work on improving their self-worth and what’s more? 
The School of Nations has embarked on a mentorship scheme, through which 120 children drawn from the community are being mentored on a weekly basis by Sixth Formers of School of Nations.   Additionally they are being given lessons for free and are taught Literacy, Computer Science, Art, Drama and playing the steel pans, with the result that the bulk of the youths there have been literally transformed and are doing both their parents and School of the Nations proud.   
In addition six children of Tiger Bay who did well at their National Grade Six Assessment  have been received scholarships, offered by civic-minded Private Sector entities and are attending the School of Nations full-time and doing very well, the Director reported. One of the benefactors is Dr Sen Gupta a visiting dentist from Antigua who was touched to see the potential of the children in the area. He has provided two full scholarships for the next five years.
Evidently heartened at such a breakthrough, Dr. O’Toole  modestly asserted, “The beauty of it is that our Sixth formers are mentoring them, and they have in turn benefitted significantly from that involvement and field of service.”

Tower of strength
It is often said, beyond every successful man, there is a strong woman, and here is where Mrs. Pamela O’Toole demonstrated her strength and fortitude. Her husband who now looks back on what confronted him as he sought to refurbish a building still standing on the lot at the time of purchase, recounts the almost daunting challenges.
After investing literally millions trying to improve what he considered the only good building on the lot, the reality was that it had to be eventually torn down.  “All I could see at that stage was a colossal challenge”
In perspective, now proud of their big accomplishment, he now credits his wife, Pam, for her vision, fortitude and resilience at this juncture. Adding that she was the amazing person behind the eventual successful outcome of the project, Dr. O’Toole remarked, “Through all this, my wife forged on and could see beyond the debris, but I could see only the debris.”                  
Dr O’Toole concluded by giving thanks to the contractor, Mr. Frank Ragpaul and the Engineer, Mr. Bert Carter.