STUDENTS of several secondary schools in the Georgetown and the lower East Coast of Demerara areas have benefitted from training in standardisation and consumerism in an ongoing lecture series by the Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS).

In a release, the GNBS said it collaborated with the Consumer Affairs Division of the Ministry of Business to share information through planned lectures at these schools so that students and teachers could have a better knowledge and appreciation for the roles and functions of consumer protection bodies in Guyana.

During the first quarter of this year, lectures were provided to Grade 10 students of the Bygeval Secondary, President’s College, Annandale Secondary, Bladen Hall Secondary, Apex Academy, St. Joseph High and North Ruimveldt Multilateral. More than 1000 students and teachers benefitted from these lectures.

Specifically, the lectures covered the services of the GNBS, including Metrology (weights and measures), Standards Development, Standards Compliance, Certification of Products and Laboratories, Metrication, Consumer Rights and Responsibilities, Warranties, Hire purchase and Career Guidance.

Generally, the lectures were very interactive as many students questioned the presenters and sought clarifications on areas of interest. Meanwhile, students had the opportunity to win novelties as presenters, at the end of their presentations, tested the amount of information the students retained from the lectures.

Educating the student population, particularly at the Secondary level on standards and consumer issues is very important, as these youths are the future of tomorrow and they must understand how standards play a critical role in every aspect of their lives.

This includes the products they consume, measurements they undertake, the services they solicit, and the systems they have to follow in the work environment. The acquisition of knowledge on their rights and responsibilities as consumers will also help them to guide their parents during purchases and from a young age equip them to make good buying decisions. With the approval of the Ministry of Education, the GNBS and the Consumer Affairs Division will continue to collaborate and offer more of these lectures to secondary schools in the new school term.