WITH the increasing need for human resources given Guyana’s rapid economic growth, the Ministry of Education (MoE) has taken a proactive step towards equipping secondary school students with the relevant skills and knowledge for employment.

The Secondary Enhancement Programme (SEP), the Secondary Competency Certificate Programme (SCCP), the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), along with the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ), are all interdependent, and are designed with the understanding that students will be able to transition easily into the working environment after completing training.

The ministry has changed its approach to secondary education at the C and D listed schools by introducing the CVQ initiative with the aim of improving literacy.

This programme is spearheaded by CARICOM under the Council for Human and Social Development (COHSOD). The council focuses on promoting the development of education through the efficient organisation of educational and training spaces in the community, including elementary and advanced vocational training and technical facilities.

Through the COHSOD initiative, the ministry started the four programmes to cater for students in the education system who required additional attention to be successful at school in both academic and skills training.

The CVQ aims to catch students who have left secondary school without excelling at the CSEC examinations. These students will undergo both skill and academic training to ensure that they are well-rounded.

One of the main aims of the CVQ is to equip students at the end of the course with the necessary skills so as to secure employment. It represents an achievement of a set of competencies that define the core work practices of a specific field, consistent with the levels articulated within the regional qualifications framework.

Regional Education Officer, Region Four, Loren Park, recently told the Guyana Chronicle that the ministry has taken extensive steps to secure the future of students coming out of school.

“When we send out our students, they must be work-ready,” he said during the interview.

The ministry has been analysing schools across Guyana and has realised that there are deficiencies that cause loss of learning.

Currently, the CVQ programme facilitates schools in almost every region: Parika-Salem Secondary in Region Three, Beterverwagting Practical Instruction Centre (PIC) and Dolphin Secondary in Region Four, Bella Drum Secondary in Region Five, Canje Secondary in Region Six, New Bartica Secondary in Region Seven, St Ignatius Secondary in Region Nine and the Linden Foundation Secondary in Region 10.

When implemented in schools around Guyana, the CVQ will allow students to have a hands-on and theoretical experience so that when they step out into the world of work, they can function without further training from their employers.

Technical training in the various schools is tailored to the main economic activities in the country. This programme has five levels with each training students in the different levels of work.

Level 1 is for directly supervised or entry-level workers; Level 2 is for supervised skilled workers; Level 3 is for independent or autonomous skilled workers; Level 4 is for specialised or supervisory workers; and Level 5 is for managerial and/or professional workers.

After further analysis, the ministry concluded that there is need for the further training of Guyanese to take up jobs within the new oil-and-gas industry. Through local content, the training of Guyanese is being encouraged.

The ministry is trying to encourage students to take up jobs in other non-traditional industries and sectors. Students who have completed the CVQ programme will be able to use the certificate to gain employment within Guyana and throughout the Caribbean.

If for some reason one cannot complete the training in Guyana, it can be done in any other Caribbean country.

Park and the Ministry of Education are optimistic that the people and children of our nation will recognise the importance of the SEP, SCCP, TVET, and CVQ programmes. Diversifying the workforce is necessary, as the entire population cannot hold the same job or be employed by the same company, and as such the ministry has set out to ensure that students have the necessary guidance, support, and relevant tools to enable them to achieve their goals.

Meanwhile, the assessment of the CVQ programme and the internal verification process have been completed. However, the external verification process, which is done by CXC, is still outstanding.

CXC auditors will be in Guyana from October 17, and are expected to ensure that the assessment process is valid and reliable, and that the students are deserving of their certificates.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, no student will be given full certification this year since schools were closed for a long period of time, and parents wanted their children to be prepared for CXC.

There are approximately 126 students who will be going through the certification process for this year.

The future plans entail the addition of 34 schools to the CVQ programme in the coming year, including the country’s premier secondary school, Queen’s College. The inclusion of several geographical schools, such as Paramakatoi Secondary, the training of 34 teachers on the modes of competency-based assessments and training of 40 assessors in TVET for quality insurance are on the cards.

Park in his comments to this publication emphasised that “skills [are] wealth,” “knowledge is valuable,” and “knowledge is in every form.” He added that we, as a nation, should eradicate the stigma that is attached to non-traditional jobs.

He further stated that the country is doing a disservice to the nation’s children by limiting their possibilities and not appreciating the value of hard work and the fruits of their labour.

Park said that CVQ is “big” on safety and health in the environment, and the ministry, along with the Government of Guyana is working on ensuring that the standards are met.

The educator also used the opportunity to call on parents, teachers, influential members of society and the country as a whole, to encourage children to pursue their passions rather than doing what society expects of them.

He said that each child is gifted in their own way, and with the right attitude, support, and guidance they will be successful in their respective fields of work.

Additionally, he mentioned that Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, has said that every student leaving secondary school by 2024 must have a skill certificate, a point that was included in the ministry’s education strategic plan.