Bartica a step closer to tertiary-level education
IDCE's first engagement with the Bartica team that will be assisting in facilitating classes
IDCE's first engagement with the Bartica team that will be assisting in facilitating classes

THE Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) is in the process of re-establishing a branch in Bartica to afford residents access to tertiary-level education.

The lack of tertiary-level education in or even near Bartica has always had an effect on the town as it has, to some extent, hindered development there.

Some residents told the Guyana Chronicle that the small town is affected by brain drain every year when a new batch of students exit the school system, since they are forced to move on from their hometown to pursue higher education.

Many of these youths do not return to serve their town.

What was pointed out too is that those who remain there would suffer from grave disadvantages with regards to upgrading their academic career. And as a result, the growth of a business or organisation is somewhat stifled because the employees only have the knowledge and skills at the secondary school level.

This issue will now be a thing of the past, as IDCE has heard the cries of the people who are longing for the opportunities in their home town.

Last week, a team from the institute engaged teachers, past teachers, regional officials and officers to bring them up to speed with their plans.

Coming out of a follow up engagement this week, it was confirmed that the programmes that will be available, will not be limited to those online. In fact, IDCE plans to put the necessary things in place to facilitate face-to-face classes.

Some of these programmes are certificate programmes in areas such as Industrial Relations and Management, Marketing Management, Early Childhood I and Early Childhood II.

Other programmes that will be available are Supervisory Management, Project Management, Social Work, Human Resource Management, Web Application Development, Mobile Application Development, and the list is by no means exhausted.

The Bartica correspondent, Kenneth Williams, told Guyana Chronicle that the regional authorities would have already approved the usage of the Bartica Resource Centre for the classes.

He explained too that IDCE will be training teachers, past teachers, and other qualified persons from right within the township, to be course lecturers.

A regional official also said a large percentage of school dropouts and persons have not passed Maths and/or English. In that regard, IDCE has the Academic Upgrading Programme which covers core areas, Mathematics, English, Principles of Business, Principles of Accounts, Chemistry, Physics, and Electronic Document Preparation and Management.

After completing the Academic Upgrading Programme, persons can apply to do any course they please, including those at the University of Guyana.

“I am elated that our youths, young adults, single parents and many others will be given an opportunity to build their academic capacity and in other areas, develop entrepreneur skills. His Excellency has spoken extensively about the decade of development. We believe our best response to his vision is to build our people so they can build our country. Therefore, the introduction of IDCE to Barticans is one of many initiatives intended to positively impact our people. Very soon, the Carnegie School of Home Economics will also be making their programmes available to us. Education, we believe, is like a lit bulb in a dark room. The effects are readily seen. As a result, we welcome this initiative and will apply the necessary support to ensure the sustainability of the programme,” Mayor of Bartica, Gifford Marshall, said.

The next step would be sensitisation, which will be done in the form of a career fair sometime next week, Williams said. Students and residents in the township will be able to learn about the programmes that they have available to them and take the opportunity to enhance their knowledge and skill set.

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