– skilled in joinery and floral decorations

FORTY secondary school students in Region Five, Mahaica-Berbice, have graduated with skills in which they can now use to earn income. The joinery and floral decoration training programmes were organised by the School’s Welfare Section of the Department of Education in Region Five and ran from August 7-21.

The graduation ceremony was held in the compound of the Regional Administration at Fort Wellington, West Coast Berbice, where Chief Education Officer-Technical Assistant in the Ministry of Education, Patrick Chinedu Onwuzirike, in his feature address, emphatically told the graduates: “Skills are wealth!” He urged the graduates to give Technical and Vocational Educational Training (TVET) a try and by these means ensure that they acquire a good life in the changing economy of the country.

“Guyana is changing. Soon you may have two or three degrees but still not get jobs in the new economy because your qualifications are academic rather than skill-based,” Chinedu said; pointing out that of the estimated 160,000 new jobs that will be created in Guyana in the new year, 80 per cent will be skill-based. He also decried the notion that technical education was the fall back for students who were not academically inclined.

Antony Gordon of Belladrum Secondary School was identified as an outstanding graduate in the joinery classes, while Tricia James and Okela McAlmont of Bush Lot Secondary were among the outstanding students in the floral decoration programme.

Resource persons for the programme were Dillon Edwards and Avery Alfred of the Practical Instruction Centre at Hopetown Village West Coast Berbice for joinery and Cenica Grant for floral arrangements.

Coordinator of the programme, Senior Welfare Officer of the Department of Education, Gloria Davidson- James disclosed that it is the second such initiative to be held by the Regional Welfare Department and the event is an annual feature.

Member of Parliament, Hon. Jennifer Wade; Regional Education Officer (REdO), Deon Lewis; and Deputy Regional Executive Officer, Sherwin Wellington, were the other speakers who congratulated the students and urged them to further hone their news skills and put them to good use.

All the graduates received certificates for completing the training. (DPI)