Seven hundred students, on Thursday evening, graduated from the Government Technical Institution (GTI) with 78 per cent passes.
An approximate number of 406 students wrote the Guyana Technical Education Examination and gained an overall 78 per cent pass rate.
The Land Surveying Department emerged as the Most Outstanding Department for the academic year 2018/2019, with an overall pass rate of 95 per cent.
This year, the institute also gained six out of seven awards at the National Awards Ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Education in October 2019.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor of University of Guyana, Dr. Barbara Reynolds, in her keynote address at the ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre, urged the graduates to not only aim to be great leaders, but to also be great followers , as it is the man behind that makes the man ahead.
“I’m intrigued by the fact that in 2019 most people talk about leadership, I hear criticisms of leaders ship all the time…for us to have leaders we must have followers and it seems to me for every leader that we have they never tell you the number of followers who is much more than leader, it suggest therefore that there is a high probability that most of us will end up being followers,” Dr. Reynolds stated.
Dr. Reynolds added that there is no shame in being a follower as followership is just a role and not a destination; she further stated that not everyone will become leaders and for those who will be leaders, they will have to pass the baton to another. However, it is up to the individual to decide what or who they will follow to emanate a positive impact.
Dr. Reynolds urged the graduates to consider the role of a follower before they can become leaders, since before one can become a good leader he or she must be a great follower. She added that it is now up the graduates to decide who or what they will follow.
The Valedictorian, Mr. Feezal Dhanny, pursued studies in the Building Department and read for a Diploma in Building and Civil Engineering which he passed with a Distinction. Dhanny stated that while he had is fair share of challenges, he would not be where he is without the support of his family, friends and academic adjudicators.
The young man, who intends to build a career in Building and Civil Engineering, urged his fellow classmates to use the skills and knowledge to their abilities not only for their self-development but for their loved ones and the country.
