HUMAN capital is an indispensable ingredient for economic growth and social progress. This is why many countries are investing heavily in the development of their human resources or what is sometimes referred to as human capital.

Guyana is no exception in this regard. This is especially so under successive PPP administrations since the early 1960’s when the Cheddi Jagan administration established the University of Guyana on October 1963.

Guyana was still a British colony when the University was established. Indeed, Guyana, then British Guiana, had the distinction of being the only country in the world to have established its own university while still under colonial rule.
Credit must be given to former President Dr. Cheddi Jagan for his vision in establishing a university when several others, including the PNC, the then political opposition, doubted the wisdom of such a move.

The university was dubbed ‘Jagan’s Night School’ as most of the classes were held in the evenings to facilitate the use of public buildings such as Queen’s College and the Ministry of Health.
Today, 60 years later, the University of Guyana is regarded as the Flagship institution in the country. At its recent convocation, over 3,500 students graduated in a variety of disciplines including law, medicine, engineering and education.

This most recent batch of university graduates is the single largest since the establishment of the University 60 years ago.
A press release from the University noted that this year’s convocation ceremonies are extremely special as the University is proudly celebrating its 60th anniversary under the theme ‘Consistently We Rise, Changing the World in Infinite Ways.’

According to the release, “As Guyana’s state university, which turns 60 on October 2, 2023 preparations are in high gear as the premier educational institution hosts its 57th Convocation ceremonies from November 9 to 11 2023 for the Turkeyen Campus and November 18, 2023 for the Berbice Campus.”
This is indeed a milestone year for the university which, over the decades, was faced with several challenges in terms of fulfilling its mandate as the premier institution of teaching and research.
This was particularly true during the period of PNC rule when the institution was starved of financial resources and when there were political interference in the management of the university.
The denial of employment of several qualified academics on political grounds is now legendary, the most notable of which was world-renowned academic and historian Dr. Walter Rodney who was subsequently assassinated by known elements.

All of that is now history. The University of Guyana has come a long way since that sordid past. President, Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali has committed not only to ensure adequate funding to the University of Guyana but to provide free university tuition with the aim of ensuring that the country ‘benefits not only from the most vibrant economy, but also from the most vibrant pool of human resources, the most talented, skilled and qualified human resources to take our country forward. The overall objective is to carve Guyana into an economic powerhouse of the region.’
Together with the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships and others investments in the education sector, Guyana is well positioned for rapid economic take-off, thanks to its critical mass approach to human capital formation so critical for economic and social development. This is indeed an important prerequisite in the developmental matrix of the country as it currently embarks along the path of modernisation and sustainable development.

The PPP/C administration must be commended for its visionary and forward-looking leadership in placing education as a national priority and human resources development at the top of its developmental agenda.