THE North- West Government Secondary School is the first- prize winner in the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Secondary Schools Home Economics Competition 2015, which was run off yesterday in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. The venue was the Ministry of Education ground on Carifesta Avenue, where hundreds turned up for the judging and awards presentation ceremony.
Second- prize winner is Beterverwagting Secondary School and the third- prize winner is New Amsterdam Secondary School.
First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger delivered the feature address and presented the trophies.
Chief Judge was Penelope Harris, Principal of the Carnegie School of Home Economics and with her was Stacia Herbert and Abigail Caleb.
Presenting the second and third prizes were FAO Representative Reuben Robertson and Patrick Chinadoo of the Ministry of Education.
First Lady Mrs. Sandra Granger expressed pride and joy at being asked to present trophies to the first- prize winner North West Secondary, stating that she has roots in that region, and for her it was like making a presentation to one’s family.
The class with a winning streak and headed by Home Economics Mistress Shonis Mc Donald, for the second consecutive year, has performed with distinction.
In 2014, the school won the second prize, beaten only by Agricola Practical Instruction Centre and finishing ahead of Tutorial High School. Each of the three winning schools was presented with the category trophy as well as two smaller ones for the two students representing the school and a kitchen set to enhance their food preparation capabilities.
Meanwhile, Chief Judge Penelope Harris announced that the winner of the first prize was a unanimous decision. “In fact the entry was so good, we had to sit and wonder where could we deduct some marks.”
The competition started in 2009 with 20 schools participating. This year the competition was poorly attended and of a total of 40 indicating willingness to participate, only 18 showed up.
Past first- prize winners were Kwakwani Secondary School; Queen’s College; Cummings Lodge; St. Joseph High School; Kwakwani again in 2011; West Demerara Secondary; New Amsterdam Secondary; and Agricola Practical Instruction Centre.
Other schools that came in for honourable mention but were not slated for prizes include J.C. Chandisingh; Covent Garden Secondary School; Hope Secondary and Diamond Secondary.
Senior Education Officer Carol Benn rated the entries as being very creative and well prepared, but expressed disappointment with the turnout this year. She called on schools to up the ante and show an interest in the activity which brings benefits, not only to the schools, but to all and sundry, particularly in the face of a national threat of chronic non-communicable diseases.
The theme of the exhibition was “Promoting Root Crops in Guyana.” Participants were required to use root crops, combined with other nutritious ingredients to come up with interesting and tasty dishes that do not pose a threat to health.
Participants were advised also to be wary of fast foods or “junk foods” which are generally known to be high in fats, sugars (high carbohydrates), sodium (salts), and trans fats. Processed foods and foods containing additives such as food colours and flavours also constitute a threat to good health and should be avoided, particularly by persons with diabetes, hypertension and heart-related conditions.
Such diets are known to be the key drivers of chronic non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, kidney diseases and cardiac illnesses.