THE Education Departments in Regions 5 (Mahaica/Berbice) and 6 (East Berbice/Corentyne), staged a graduation ceremony last Thursday, for 271 students who successfully completed the Secondary School Competency Certificate Programme (SCCP).
The function was held at the St. Francis Community Developers (SFCD) Multipurpose Centre, Port Mourant,
Corentyne.The programme, which commenced in 2009, catered for secondary schools children in grades nine and ten and utilises the Competency Based Modularisation approach to Education (CBME), for the delivery in Practical Instruction Centres (PICs) as well and the tops of some primary schools.
The two-year duration enables the students who are successful to pursue higher education or become entrepreneurs.
Twelve schools participated, Belladrum and Fort Wellington secondaries and Number 29 Primary from Region 5 and nine schools from Region 6, Canje, Manchester, Port Mourant, Skeldon, Tutorial, Vryman’s Erven, Winifred Gaskin and Black Bush secondaries.
The course involved eleven technical subjects and four core subjects – Mathematics, Language and Communication, General Studies and Integrated Science. The candidates had to complete the core subjects and one technical of their choice and pass all in order to graduate.
The seven technical subject areas taught for the final results were Crops and Soils Studies having 106 successful students, Catering 87, Joinery 43, Fabric Decoration 12, Garment Construction nine, Carpentry eight and Electrical Installation seven.
Giving the feature address, District Education Officer of Region 6, Mr. Bashir Khan, who has been an educator for 37 years, urged the graduates to make full use of the opportunities being given to them by the ministry.
“You can now help yourselves with the skills that you have acquired. Make full use of them,” he encouraged.
REMAIN COMMITTED
He also challenged them to remain committed and develop good work ethics.
“Some of you are going into the world, it will not be easy; make the best use of it. It is a world that demands from you. Make sure you keep the good habit of punctuality so, as you go further in life, it will work for your benefit and you will gain respect,” Khan charged them.
Coordinator of the SCCP Unit, Mr. Aubrey Overton, who gave a background to the programme, noted that, after the two years, students are awarded a certificate upon completion of the grade nine programme.
They can also elevate themselves to the advanced level of the programme in grade 10 and, at the end of it, students can seek to write Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC), enter post-secondary s institutions, such as technical institutes, trade schools, apprentice training centres or become self-employed.
He acknowledged that it was not all smooth sailing and included some constrictions, such as the transfer of teachers who were a part of the programme and the replacement by untrained ones.
The charge was delivered by Regional Education Officer of Region 6, Ms. Volika Jaikishun, who urged the students to go forward with determination and passion.
She observed that they are not the same persons who walked through the doors of their schools a few years ago and encouraged them to make full use of their newly acquired skills to enhance themselves.
“Continue to be an inspiration to your families, your peers, your teachers and community.”
The best graduating student for grade ten was Yuganie Prasad of Port Mourant Secondary, who completed a course in Language and Communication. The runner-up was Allia Khan of Tutorial Academy.
In the grade nine group, the best graduating student was Romel Sampson of Manchester Secondary and Rohanie Ramcharitar of Port Mourant Secondary the runner-up.
Belladrum Secondary had the most successes and copped eight of the 23 awards offered at this first graduation for the programmes in Regions 5 and 6.