By Jamall Adams

EDUCATION isn’t preparation for life, education is life itself. Jan Gomes understands this notion and has dedicated her time to learning.

From being the top student at Bina Hill Learning Centre of Annai, North Rupununi, Region Nine to earning a full scholarship to the University of Guyana (UG), Jan’s journey is one to inspire.

Jan was born and raised in Kato Village, Region Eight, and grew up with her parents and eight other siblings. As a child growing up, making education a priority was part of the culture that was taught within her home by her parents. They understood the importance of education, because of their own past experiences, and would always encourage all of their children to make the most of every opportunity that presented itself to have a better education than they did.

The principle of making education a priority was a rule Jan patterned her life by. Rules which now have enabled her to become disciplined, humble, focused and well informed, all throughout her school years at the Paramakatoi Secondary School, moulding her into one of Guyana’s very own scholars.

This Region Eight native once aspired to be a nurse in order to make a positive contribution to her community, but unfortunately, after graduating high school she was told that she was too young to pursue such a career. This didn’t stop the journey she was about to travel. She immediately enrolled into the Bina Hill Institute Youth Learning Centre and began equipping herself with the necessary tools to continue following her dreams. Jan spent the next two years studying Tourism, Natural Resource Management, Business Administration, Forestry, Music, Cultural Skills and other courses, and would still maintain the attitude of being patient and disciplined without knowing what was about to come her way.

In July 2017 Minister of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs, Hon. Sydney Allicock and Vice Chancellor of the University of Guyana, Professor Dr Ivelaw Lloyd Griffith, visited the Bina Hill Institution. During the visit, the Minister and the Vice Chancellor awarded two open scholarships to the best-performing students of the Institute for the 2015-17 period and one of those students was Jan Gomes. This scholarship is one of the Government of Guyana’s initiatives to improve educational developments within the hinterland communities, and is set to be an annual initiative which many other students of various hinterland communities will be able to benefit from in the future.

According to Jan, disappointment wasn’t going to hinder her success and enrolling at Bina Hill Institute was another strategy of hers when it came to developing herself as an individual, mainly because of the numerous courses offered at the institution.

When asked about how she felt about the scholarship which was given to her by the Government of Guyana, she explained ” I’ve always wanted the opportunity to attend UG, but wasn’t sure of how that was going to happen, because of where I’m from. But when the Minister came and told me I was eligible for this scholarship, I was very happy.” She continued, “I was happy because of the possibilities that would come with this opportunity and also because no one from my community has never gotten this chance before.” She further stated that she and her family are extremely grateful to Minister Allicock and to the Government of Guyana and that she is working very hard to make the best out of her four years at UG.

Jan began her scholarship at UG on August 28 and is currently living at the Liliendaal UG dorms. She’s majoring in the Bachelor of Arts in Tourism and now dreams of working within the tourism sector in Guyana after graduating. She plans to start her own Ecotourism business within her community; a business that will be able to provide jobs for residents of Region Eight and also be able to generate revenue which she can put into human development for less fortunate students.

Jan Gomes encourages persons to always pursue education and hopes that her story inspires many others to fully equip themselves with fundamental basic human rights.