SOME 63 students graduated from the Upper Corentyne Industrial Training Centre on Thursday in areas such as furniture making, masonry and agricultural mechanics among others.

“Nothing is as valuable as an education,” Labour Minister Dr Nanda Gopaul said as he urged the graduates to aim for the stars.
The institute seeks to provide technical and vocational education and training for youths, as well as adults, to enable them to contribute to the economic development of their country. Administrator of the institution, Mr Sugrim, related that it presently has a 28-member staff but for the institute to be completely staffed they would have to fill eight vacancies, “which we are hoping to fill early 2015.”

Sugrim elaborated that the Centre provides training for persons from Orealla and Siparuni villages on the Upper Corentyne River and from as far as Liverpool on the Corentyne Coast, including Black Bush Polder. He explained that one of the most troubling aspects at the Centre presently is the high number of dropouts they are experiencing.
He noted that: “ We have 33% of dropouts from the institute,” explaining that some of them are also dropouts from secondary or even primary schools and this poses a challenge for the teachers because of their poor knowledge base and delinquent behaviour. He however, noted that they will have in the New Year a teacher who can upgrade the level of acceptance for these individuals.
The administrator made the call for accommodation at the Centre so that they will be able to have more students from Orealla and Siparuni. “The need for accommodation is an urgent matter and if the Centre is able to make this a reality, more persons can have a technical education,” he said.
Minister of Labour, Dr Nanda Gopaul exhorted the graduates that without a proper education they will be left behind. He congratulated the institute for the rapid progress it has been making.
The Labour Minister answered the call for the institute to have accommodation and alluded that the Government will definitely look at the possibility “and I know it is possible.” He noted that once they have secured the available space “the Government will work to see the best way we can canvass the resources so that in the not too distant future accommodation will no longer be a problem.”
He noted too that the Government has placed a lot of emphasis on education, and events like these ‘make us very proud.’ He explained that the belief is that technical education is only for school dropouts, “but let me tell you that a technical education is very important.” Explaining also that with the direction of the country’s development, in a few years’ time, you will see the need for technical education “and you, yourself would want to invest in having a technical education.”
Gopaul noted that the Ministry of Labour has a programme-the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency (CRMA), where the ministry can find jobs for persons, urging the graduates to utilise the facilities that are available to them. He also explained that the Board of Industrial Training, which is the initiative of the Labour Ministry, is also available to you the graduates or any other person that is interested in technical education.
Addressing the high number of dropouts, Dr Gopaul explained that this is very alarming and urged persons to exercise discipline and complete the programme, “what you sow today, you will reap the benefits tomorrow.”