-Tells youths it will make them more marketable- First Lady Sandra Granger

By: Indrawattie Natram

THE Office of the First Lady, in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Cohesion Board of Industrial Training (BIT), under its Youth Development Initiative, on Monday, January, 13, 2020, launched its Information and Communication Technology (ICT) training programme in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam).

Forty young people who hail from various backgrounds and communities will be trained in the field of ICT, Literacy, Numeracy, Entrepreneurship, Sexual Reproductive Health, and Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Those who are successful in the programme will receive a BIT accredited certificate signed by First Lady, Mrs. Sandra Granger herself.

Addressing the participants for the programme in the boardroom of the Regional Democratic Council at Anna Regina, the First Lady said that the certificate will enable them to become more marketable, outlining that employers will accept it as a qualification. She, therefore, thanked the Ministry of Social Cohesion for funding the workshops and for providing the necessary resources needed to empower the youths. Mrs. Granger also thanked the Regional Executive Officer, Mr. Denis Jaikarran, for organizing and mobilizing the youths in his area.

“The knowledge you gain from the training programmes you will use it as a tool to move forward with your life and further develop,” the First Lady told the gathering.
She also encouraged the youths to use the skills from the workshop to further enhance their life. The training she added will also consist of Robotics knowledge and emphasized it was important for youths to be trained in the field.

Mr. Jaikarran, during his address, said that Region Two was fortunate to be selected for the ICT training programme and, therefore, thanked the Office of the First Lady for choosing the region and for giving youths within the community equal opportunity.  He urged the youths to focus on the training and to make the region proud. He also told the gathering that a special committee had been set up to monitor the youth’s performance and to ensure that they successfully completed the programme. The youths he said will receive free snacks and lunch during the workshops.

At the launch, Deputy Chairman of BIT, Mr. Donald Ainsworth, said that in the past children from distant areas were neglected of certain opportunities and he was happy that the workshop reached Region Two. He, therefore, thanked the First Lady who was implementing the vision of her husband, President David Granger, to educate youths across the country in ICT skills. He said the current Government had been investing millions of dollars in the education system to educate youths across Guyana.

At the end of the launch, participants got the opportunity to interact with the First Lady. Participants will be graduating from the course on February 10, 2020.