THE Department of Education in Region Four Wednesday hosted its second annual Career Fair at the Hope Secondary School under the theme: “Youths! Our future depends on them.”

Declaring the Career Fair open was Regional Chairman Genevieve Allen, who expounded on the importance of a sound education. “Our future depends on you. School is where we learn the necessary skills for life. School is an opportunity to learn wherever you are,” Allen said.
Speaking with this publication, the Acting Regional Education Officer (REDO) of Region Four, Ms Tiffany Harvey, explained, “It’s our second annual career fair which caters to the secondary schools within the Region Four districts, so a number of invitations were sent out to several agencies to be a part of this event. I am extremely pleased with the agencies who responded to our invitation.
“Some of the agencies which responded were the Guyana Technical Institute, the Guyana Defence Force, the Cyril Potter College of Education, the Ministry of Public Health, the Red Cross, the Guyana School of Agriculture,and the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission among many others,” said Harvey.
The Acting REDO also explained that the fair was held to also observe 40 years of nursery education in Guyana; as a result, there were several nursery schools within the Region Four district exhibiting what happens within the nursery school system.

“There is also a craft centre exhibiting hand-made craft; with this we are hoping to boost craft and home economics as careers for a number of our students,” said Harvey.
Scores of students gathered at the Guyana Defence Force’s booth where there were free medical tests being done. Second Lieutenant Cleveroy Patrick explained that “The GDF was invited by the ministry to be a part of the fair; we are displaying the advantages and the benefits of being in the Guyana Defence Force, since we are always recruiting. The students seem more interested in the technical department of the booth.”
Many students from President’s College, Annandale, Diamond and Golden Grove Secondary Schools said the fair would help them to make a decision regarding a career.
However, some felt differently. A student of Hope Secondary, Yogeshwar Boodhan, said, “My plan is to be a teacher. I think the fair is very educational since a lot of stuff on display and are very informative. Hailing from the same school, student, Omefa Gillis explained, “I want to be a family lawyer, but I don’t really think the fair caters to my field, but I find the fair to be very interesting.”
Many teachers from the various schools in Region Four saw the event as an informative one. Education Month 2016 is being celebrated, under the theme, “Each Child Matters: Stakeholders Unite for the Enhancement of Education.

(Crystal Stoll)