THE University of Guyana’s Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) is leading the way with fulfilling the university’s forward-thinking vision of ensuring one graduate per Guyanese household by 2040. Just recently, the institute churned out 643 graduates in several disciplines who are all now fully equipped with skills needed to join the local workforce or will further their studies in their chosen fields. In the last of five virtual graduation ceremonies held in March, the graduates from five centres spread across Guyana — Georgetown, Anna Regina, New Amsterdam, Linden and, for the first time, Bartica — were praised for staying the course and successfully completing their studies amidst a global pandemic.
According to a release, those graduated included 383 from Georgetown, 74 from Berbice, 127 from Linden, 12 from Bartica and 47 from Anna Regina.
The courses pursued include Project Management Online, Supervisory Management Online, Occupational Health & Safety Seminar Course, Proficiency in Mathematics, Early Childhood Education, Care for the Elderly, Industrial Relations and Management, General Law, Food and Nutrition and Information Technology, among others.

This is in addition to those IDCE students who had completed degree and diploma programmes and graduated in earlier ceremonies along with the others from the University’s Turkeyen and Berbice campuses. Registrar of the University of Guyana, Dr. Nigel Gravesande, noted that the IDCE has been at the forefront of promulgating the university’s development agenda “to provide equal access to quality education to individuals and groups irrespective of geographical location”. Vice-Chancellor, Professor Paloma Mohamed, in her remarks, applauded the graduates, noting that they had “risen as the cream of the crop in difficult times”, which serves as a testament to their resilience. Professor Mohamed expressed that the pandemic was unpredictable, however, the university had already begun thinking about the design of the university’s future, its accessibility, more inclusiveness, and to be more relevant to persons across the country.

ASPIRATIONAL GOALS
As a result, she said four aspirational goals were discussed, the first of which entailed IDCE. “Our first aspirational goal was to have one graduate per household. Why? For the most part of the world, the science tells us that a graduate or a person who even enters a university is the best prognosis for success for a family, for a community and, of course if you have a whole lot of these people, for your country,” the Vice-Chancellor said.
She noted that Guyana is on the brink of tremendous opportunities but citizens will not be able to benefit if they are not fully ready and thus the role of the University of Guyana as the only State university is to equip Guyanese with the necessary skills to be ready.

The Vice-Chancellor thanked IDCE Director, Dr. Jacqueline Murray and staff, for adequately implementing the initiatives being taken in terms of expanding the reach of the IDCE programmes across the country and for increasing the number of courses being offered.
She also congratulated the five valedictorians – Darica Thompson (Linden), Keshia Hamid (Berbice), Verina Singh-Rasheed (Anna Regina), Niola Fiedtkou (Bartica) and Shontell Coggins (Georgetown).

In her comments, Singh-Rasheed encouraged her colleagues to embrace change and adapt to the new environment.
“We took the step to engage in the courses here at the IDCE because we realised that where we were, where we wanted to be and what was changing around us meant that we too needed to do something! We needed to better equip ourselves if we were going to push forward in the rapidly developing world around us”.
“So, today I would like to base my message on that of us being service providers. We all understand that having a business or skill and using it to earn is all about being a service provider. As we approach the end of our journey together, ask yourselves what makes you a great service provider,” she added.
Hamid, who topped the Berbice Centre, also commended her colleagues who persevered throughout the pandemic to achieve their milestone.

PERSEVERANCE
“At the beginning of this journey, we were optimistic and had a clear picture of our destination, although we expected challenges, nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to face. Today is proof of our perseverance to accomplish this milestone”. “Working hard is vital in achieving your goals, we are graduates of the University of Guyana’s Institute of Distance and Continuing Education; people who are intelligent and resourceful and contribute significantly to today’s ever-changing world. We may not yet fully comprehend the value of all the things we have learned here, but recognise that if we do the things we are capable of, we would astound ourselves”, Hamid added. IDCE Director, Dr. Jacqueline Murray, in her remarks, assured that the institute is committed to providing equal access to quality education to individuals and groups irrespective of geographical location. She noted that since its establishment on January 02, 1976, the IDCE has delivered a menu of continuing education, personal and professional development programmes across the country. The IDCE caters for a wide cross-section of persons ranging from ages 16 and above. The unemployed, including out-of-school youths, are also given a chance to upgrade academically or technically with the aim of creating jobs for themselves, making themselves job ready, or to pursue higher education.