THE latest initiative being proposed by Government to facilitate better attendance at schools by providing free transportation to students is another of a long line of boosters to the education sector by the Administration. Poor parents know well the demands of finding bus fare for themselves and children every day, and the fear when the ability to even afford that meagre amount forces their children to walk long distances to reach their schools.  Many parents know of the stress heralded by every new school year, when new uniforms have to be procured, and many children have lived the shame of having their uniforms “turned” so as to appear new and not faded out when they essay into new classes every September.
One day, during the hard times in the reign of the past administration, a child was hit by a vehicle on Camp Street.  His lunch kit broke open and revealed his lunch – a piece of dried coconut.
Those days are long gone, except for rare cases of neglect by parents, most often when fathers abandon their children, but the Administration is seeking to eliminate even those rare cases by putting in place measures that would ensure that no Guyanese child ever goes hungry in school again, or plays truant because of lack of uniform, or books, and now even transportation – hopefully in the not-so-distant future.
According to Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir, Government is exploring the option of providing free transportation to some schools as early as September as part of an initiative aimed at ensuring more children attend school, not only punctually but regularly.
He revealed that the project is a facet of the Tackling Child Labour through Education (TACKLE) programme and would be supported by the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
“Apart from the uniform and school feeding programme, we are looking to go a step further because in some localities we have children who have to walk several miles to get to and from school,” Minister Nadir pointed out.
The Government’s aggressive thrust to stamp out illiteracy and empower the young people of the nation, even school drop-outs has been multi-pronged.
The Board of Industrial Training recently celebrated its 100th year of existence at a ceremony held at the Umana Yana, Kingston.
Held under the theme “A century of Empowering Youths with Technical and Vocational skills for life”, the ceremony featured presentation of awards to long-serving masters and staff. Among the companies to receive awards were Guyana National Industrial Corporation, the Guyana Sugar Corporation, Guyana Power and Light, and Transport and Harbours Department.
Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir, speaking at the event, expressed congratulations on behalf of President Bharrat Jagdeo and Prime Minister Samuel Hinds.
Minister Nadir stated that the Board has come a long way in empowering youths and added that the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will also come on board to provide training to young people.
Chairman of the BIT, Dr. Dale Bisnauth stated that the anniversary is a milestone of life and history, reflected on the past. He noted that the Board could not have reached such an achievement without the contributions of the persons who have served over the years.
The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) was established in 1910 under the Industrial Training Act Chapter 39:04, Laws of Guyana.  At the time of its promulgation, the Industrial Training Act was described thus: “An Act to provide for the promotion of Industrial Training”. As such, the focus of BIT was formal Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), as it relates to apprenticeship within the industrial sector.
These apprenticeship programmes have four-year duration, with provisions made for shortened two-year programmes in special cases where the applicant would have had previous technical training.
Training is offered in various engineering fields, such aspects as mechanical, electrical and building construction with funding sometimes provided through collaboration with the private sector and other Non Governmental Agencies.
They also aim to ensure that the nation is provided with an adequately trained workforce in both industrial and commercial sectors of the economy.
One such programme that is currently under execution through funding by the Government of Guyana, and which receives the co-operation of the public and the private sectors is the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE), which commenced in September, 2005 and which has benefitted over 2200 youths to date. They have been trained and certified at the semi-skilled level through this project.
Thus far for this year, 509 youths were trained under the NTPYE, 185 from Regions One and Two, 132 from the Essequibo Islands, Region Three, 90 from Region Four and 102 from Region Five.
NTPYE is the vision of President Bharrat Jagdeo and was launched in as part of the Administration’s policy to reduce the level of unemployment and better the living standards of citizens. Youths from 15 to 25 years from the 10 administrative regions have benefited from training and have acquired jobs through the Ministry of Labour’s Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency.
BIT expanded its role in 2009 though training programmes for single parents, with the aim of providing marketable skills as a means creating or increasing income generation.  A total of 375 persons have been trained under the single parent programme in employable skills that are in demand on the labour market and many graduates have received a grant to assist in the establishment of small businesses.

The Ministry of Labour is aiming to net about 2,000 applicants for the National Training Programme for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) and 400 participants for its Single Parent Training Programme during 2010.
Minister of Labour, Manzoor Nadir explained that, in order to achieve this goal, the project will require a budget of $150M.
The NTPYE training programme usually receives a budgetary allocation of about $50M annually.
The programmes are coordinated by the Ministry’s Board of Industrial Training (BIT), which was responsible for the successful graduation of over 1,500 persons last year. About 1,083 youths received certification from eight of the 10 regions.
Minister Nadir said government is overwhelmed by the youths’ response to the programme and urged unskilled job seekers to take full advantage of the training opportunities.
Overall the completion rates of the programmes improved from 75 percent in 2008 to 85 percent in 2009.
Government has given the assurance that youths who are unable to complete formal schooling will be given a second chance through skills training and hundreds of youths are now qualified to join the workforce. The NTPYE graduands received training in various disciplines, including joinery, auto mechanic, plumbing, carpentry, welding and electrical and computer repairs.
The Single Parent Training last year exceeded its target, with 372 parents, including a male, graduating from an initial count of 412 applicants.
The parents were trained in Childcare, Care for the Elderly, Pharmacy Bond Clerk, Medical Records, Health Care, Cosmetology, Sewing, Catering, Office Procedures and Information Technology. They also received the necessary equipment to begin their trade.
The initiative is part of Government’s strategy to reduce the level of unemployment and improve the living standards of its populace.
The need to develop Guyana has also prompted Government to equip its citizens with the necessary skills to make quality contributions to both personal and national development.
The Ministry has managed to conserve the resources provided by Central Government for the NTPYE and expand on its programmes because of its partnership with p
rivate sector, faith-based organizations, and Non-Governmental Organisations.
The naysayers and doomsayers of the PPP/C Administration, some of whom have powerful allies in first-world countries, cannot halt the impetus of development of this country.  It was long overdue, and better things are yet in store, while those critical of this country’s performance indices cannot control their own internal catastrophes cannot measure up, at scale, to this country’s development.