Minister Manickchand commissions New Fellowship Practical Instruction Centre

MINISTER of Education Priya Manickchand on Wednesday officially commissioned the newly rehabilitated Fellowship Practical Instruction Centre located on the West Coast of Demerara.
This state-of-the-art facility, costing a total of USD 1,214,907.42, is set to benefit approximately 400 students and aims to significantly enhance technical and vocational training in the region.

The comprehensive funding for the centre covers infrastructural development, tools and equipment, as well as ICT resources and furnishing. This milestone is part of the ministry’s ongoing commitment to equipping students with practical skills that align with the demands of a modern job market.
During the commissioning ceremony, Minister Manickchand emphasised the importance of the centre in fulfilling the Ministry of Education’s goals of producing highly skilled students.

“This centre plays a crucial role in the Guyana Government’s vision to create educational opportunities that allow every child to have a bright future in the new Guyana we are building out,” she stated. The minister encouraged students to make the most of the centre’s resources and pursue the skills and training offered to ensure their success in the evolving job market.

The Fellowship Practical Instruction Centre is among several facilities being upgraded under the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP), which is funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB). This initiative aims to refurbish and expand Practical Instruction Centres (PICs) in Regions Three, Four, and Five, as well as Practical Instruction Departments (PIDs) in hinterland secondary schools, thereby strengthening technical vocational education and training (TVET) throughout the country.

The centre offers training in various fields, including electrical work, woodworking, and food and nutrition, with the goal of providing students with the competencies necessary to earn Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) certifications. These qualifications will enable students to confidently enter the job market, establish their own economic enterprises, or pursue further post-secondary and tertiary education.

Deputy Chief Education Officer-Technical, Dr. Ritesh Tularam, highlighted the ministry’s dedication to strengthening TVET across the nation. He noted that the government continues to foster partnerships with key funding agencies, such as the CDB, to ensure quality technical vocational education and training is accessible to all citizens.

To further support the practical and technical training programmes at the centre, the Office of the Deputy Chief Education Officer with Responsibility for Technical Education donated essential safety gear, including 20 helmets, 20 safety vests, 20 pairs of gloves, and 20 pairs of goggles. This donation aims to ensure that students have the necessary equipment to work in a secure and protected environment, enhancing their overall learning experience.