SIXTY-THREE hinterland scholarship students graduated, while another nine continuing students were awarded recently at the hinterland scholarship closing ceremony.
At the exercise which was hosted at the Amerindian Village at Sophia Exhibition Complex, Liaison Officer to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Mr. Norman Whittaker, in his charge to the graduates stated that there was a correlation between education and national development” and that no investment in human capital could not be too large. To illustrate his point, Whittaker said that the allocation for education in the National Budget had increased from 1.7 billion (5.7%) in 2002 to 21.4 billion (15%) in 2010.
He exhorted the graduates to do their best to reduce the amount of illiteracy and innumeracy in their communities, noting that an educated population is essential to propel developing countries out of poverty.
Whittaker touched on the issue of male under achievement, noting that of the 72 students being certified only 28 were males. He reminded that responsibility for the education of a child is not the responsibility of the teacher but rather a societal responsibility.
Coordinator of EFA/FTI Ministry of Education, Mr. Edward Jarvis, said that the graduation marked a significant juncture in the lives of the students. He expressed concern that of the some 17, 000 students who are enrolled in Secondary school, only about 10,000 write CSEC. He said there were also several children who did not wish to come to city, pointing out that the Ministry feels that these children also have a right to an education.
He advised the graduates was that they had not come to the end of the journey, noting that a growing number of students from the hinterland are now moving on to the University of Guyana (UG).