–as Kuru Kuru Centre starts new school year

THIS year saw over 580 young people expressing interest in attending the Kuru Kuru Training Centre (KKTC) on the Linden/Sosedyke Highway, and of that number, 242 were selected to pursue their studies. 

The new students were selected from all ten Administrative Regions, and will be pursuing studies in masonry, joinery, business studies, electrical installation, garment construction, motor mechanic, carpentry, plumbing and sheet metal, and welding and fabrication. All the students will be exposed to driving lessons at the institution.
In welcoming them on board, Minister of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony couldn’t help but emphasise the importance for students to exercise discipline while at the institution.
The KKTC, he told them, fills a niche, since it attracts youths who may not have completed their secondary education, and the training offered at the institution is not the end of the line, but rather a stepping stone towards pursuing higher education.
He said the reason youths from the hinterland regions are given the break to be a part of the programme is because they do not have as much access to educational opportunities as those residing on the coastland.
Besides imploring the new intake to make the best of this opportunity, he also called on them to think about their future; about the career path they would like to follow while at the KKTC.
He also spoke to them at length about the co-curricular and extra-curricular activities in which they will be able to participate, such as whatever the PYARG programme has to offer, as well as in national events such as Republic and Independence celebrations.
The KKTC is a residential training centre that offers a one-year residential training and facilities for youths between the ages of 16 and 25; in order to qualify for admission, they are required to apply and complete an entry-level test.
The programme runs from September to July, and training is full-time, Monday to Friday.
During the ten-month period, students are trained in a skill of their own choosing, and allowed to visit places of interest related to their particular skill. A six-week work attachment to agencies are arranged for students. Cultural activities, sports, hikes and confidence building are part of the curriculum, and students receive a monthly stipend.
Similar non-residential programmes are offered at the Sophia Training Centre; the Vrymans Erven Centre, in New Amsterdam; and at the New Opportunity Corps on the Essequibo Coast.