‘Reality Check’ is a series started by the Guyana Chronicle to highlight different social issues which stretch across culture and other divides and impact the lives of Guyanese
Experience and academics…the need for balance
FOR the purpose of this article we will call our main protagonists Ram and Sally and in sharing their life experiences the realities of many Guyanese lives are acknowledged.
Ram is 78-years-old now and lives in Mahaicony, Region Five (Mahaica/ Berbice). He has diabetes, his primary complaint among the other illnesses that come with old age. But he has the support of his children and grandchildren and they make life easier for him, as easy as they can make it, since Ram is an amputee, losing a leg to diabetes almost a year ago.
His life has been a full one, or so he says, and you are almost convinced of that, save for a stirring in his eyes that betrays him when he stares off to no particular place.
It is only when asked that he relates his story and it is a story that many Guyanese share and one that many others can relate to – many Guyanese who have not been exposed to the opportunities they needed to rise above their circumstances.
Ram has been involved in the rice industry for decades working in the public sector to help develop new rice varieties, but was unable to advance because of his lack of academic qualifications.
“I have been working with rice varieties since I was 15 or 16-years-old and I worked with the best, but when there was an opening for an Assistant Plant Breeder and I asked, the boss man said no, because I had no qualifications,” he said.
Despite the let-down, Ram said he continued in the rice industry, but with private sector operators.
“I did not get to go to secondary school, I went up to primary, but I have a lot of years working in rice, I am experienced with what I do,” Ram said.
He explained that he was not able to access further education because of his circumstances.
“It is the same reason that, when I could not give my son what I did not have, I make sure his son got it. My grandson now has a Master’s Degree and knows a lot about rice and will get his doctorate soon. I am proud of him,” he posits.

Sally’s situation is not much different and, when she can, she encourages the young people around her to “get your papers” without haste.
“I always try to encourage young people where I see the potential,” she tells the Guyana Chronicle.
Leaving home to seek employment at the tender age of 16, she supported her mother and helped her siblings with their education, while sacrificing hers.
Sally has been involved in national development, supporting the current administration and the legacy of the late Cheddi Jagan – as many others do, with a healthy respect for Jagan and his life’s work.
“It is most unfortunate that despite their contributions in the past, they have to contend with the realities of the current day, where academic qualifications are a must,” Sally said.
The reality of many Guyanese is not an easy one, when it comes to their employability, when circumstances force them to endure immaturity, unprofessionalism, even the egos and immaturity of the ‘managers’ above them and, most painful, the unfairness of the situation on the whole.
Not everyone has life handed to them on a platter (though even those that do have challenges) and, for those who do not, accessing even educational opportunities that are expensive more often than not can prove difficult.
The fact of the matter is that life is made difficult; individuals are disadvantaged when their experience in a particular field in not reflected on a piece of paper and it matters not the extent of their contribution to the development of their field.
That said, there is no doubting the importance of academic qualifications, but there must be a balance somewhere, there must be some provision for persons who do not have Master’s and Doctorate degrees, but have years of experience in a particular field and the institutional memory that supports development.
There should be a balance – everything needs balance.