THIRTY-SIX women have completed four month-long Childcare and Care for the Elderly courses at the Alpha Foundation College at Vreed-en-Hoop, West Coast Demerara. The women on Friday received their certificates at a small ceremony held at the institution.
The certification is being offered through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT). The two courses are among several BIT courses being offered by the institution. All of the courses are free of charge. Minister of Labour, Joseph Hamilton was present at the ceremony to distribute the certificates.
Speaking with the Guyana Chronicle, Minister Hamilton emphasised that this course is part and parcel of the ministry’s drive to roll out BIT training programmes in several communities across the country. “These training programmes would be executed in every region, in every village and town. Last year, we trained 2000 persons; this year we plan to train 3500, and that number will go up because of the joint collaboration we will have with MOCYS, MOHSSS and MOE,” Hamilton related.

“Also, our focus in communities is to reskill retirees, and to also train persons with disability. For persons who already have a skill, we plan to retrain them, so that they can be accredited and certified.” The Minister added that persons will be selected from respective communities to train persons who are pursuing courses being offered, which, in return, will benefit the community. Other points raised by the minister were the need for trainees to complete training with dedicated and patient trainers who are ready to deal with persons from all walks of life. Programmes at the institution particularly target vulnerable groups such as school dropouts. To register for the course, persons simply need to visit the institution with their ID cards. BIT Public Relations Officer, Ayana George told the graduates that there are approximately 224 daycare centres in the country, and a number of healthcare facilities caring for elders. She encouraged the graduates to not sit with their certificates, but seek ways to contribute to the sectors, or generate an income through entrepreneurship. Course trainer Marva Hestick said the course was designed to enable entrepreneurial-minded persons to learn how to manage a successful daycare, or to work in early childhood education. By contrast, the Care for the Elderly programme prepares trainees to care for persons between the ages of 45 to 65 years old and over.