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Speaking at the National Awards Ceremony for Outstanding Performance, held at the National Cultural Centre on Homestretch Avenue, the President emphasized that: “…development is not how much gold we have, or how (many) diamonds we have. Those things help, of course, but it is the quality of people that we have that is the most important factor. People are the most important factor for any kind of development.”
The President noted that the world is changing at a rapid pace, and that the ultimate way to secure a future for the country is through investing in people and investing in education.
He explained that much more is demanded of young people these days, and that is only natural, because science and technology — and education generally — are playing a much more important role in the development of society. He stressed that for a person to be able to cope with the developing world, that person would have to be multi-disciplined.
President Ramotar said Guyana has been the only country in the region that spends 30 percent of its budget on the social sector; and that has been the case since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government assumed office.
He affirmed that the largest social sector spending is in education, and contended that this was not by happenstance, but is government’s response to having recognised the role of education in development, and its firm conviction that the way out of poverty is through education.
“Investing in education is really an investment in our country’s future; that is what we’re investing in,” President Ramotar asserted.
He pointed out that education is already proving itself, as is evident in comparing developing and developed countries around the world with countries that are not doing so well.
He noted that where a high level of education exists, those countries are faring best.
Guyana’s Head of State added that while achievements are celebrated, people should take into consideration what is happening in the world around them.
“There are still so many people that are suffering for many, many reasons; some of them through no fault of their own, but because wars and conflicts affect their lives. That is something we have to constantly try to avoid and fight in this country,” he stated.
He said there currently exists approximately 775 million illiterate people in the world, and even while significant progress has been made in educating the world’s population, there are still approximately 61 million children who cannot attend school.
President Ramotar said it is therefore important for citizens to understand the sacrifices the government and people — and particularly taxpayers — are making to ensure both quantity and quality of education, essential for the development of the country, exists.
He highlighted that Guyana is a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural society, and that the only way to manage such a society is to give equal opportunity to all the people, by empowering and educating them to be able to create opportunities for themselves.
The President advised that it is for this reason the government spends so much on education. He also noted that significant progress can be seen.
GUYANESE ARE BEST REGIONAL PERFORMERS
“For the past seven years, Guyana has topped the Caribbean in producing the best performers in the region, and we intend to continue with that trend. It is also very significant to note the spread of where the passes are taking place,” he said.
He pointed out that, a few years earlier, the top students would come from just a few schools, mostly in Georgetown. However, today the top students are coming from schools all across the country.
President Ramotar also noted that the education sector is improving significantly in the hinterland regions in such places like Waramadong which, a few years ago, had merely a few primary schools, but now has a secondary school with nearly 700 students.
He added that, with the role science and technology plays and the development that follows, Guyana can soon move from being a developing country to join the ranks of developed countries in the world.
“That is why we are making all these investments in our people. We have also given scholarships, more scholarships than ever have been given to the students of this country to attend institutions both in Guyana and abroad,” he stated.
The President announced that he has had discussions with his colleagues in the Cabinet, and that the top two students from the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examinations (CAPE) will be given scholarships.
