THE Ministry of Education continues to transform Guyana’s educational landscape with the commissioning of a brand-new, over $360M Practical Instruction Department (PID) at Bartica Secondary School.

This milestone marks the sixth such facility completed under the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP), a flagship initiative that is changing the way education prepares young people for the world of work.

Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, on Wednesday, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, emphasised that it was the fifth such facility she had opened in under three years, a testament to the Ministry’s unwavering commitment to expanding Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) across the country, even after the significant setbacks caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

She noted that similar facilities have already been opened at locations such as Fellowship, Hopetown, Beterverwagting, and St. Ignatius, with each serving as a hub for skill development and empowerment.

The newly commissioned Bartica PID is a modern, purpose-built training centre constructed by KP Thomas and Sons and supervised by CEMCO Engineering.
The facility cost $273M to construct and supervise, with an additional $87M invested in tools and equipment, bringing the total investment to more than $360M.
The project falls under GSDEP, which is funded through a US$14.04Mpartnership between the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Guyana. Of this, US$11.7M came from the CDB loan facility, US$552,000 from a grant, and US$1.79M in counterpart funding from the Government of Guyana.

Minister Manickchand underscored that the facility represented far more than a new building. It reflected the government’s broader intention to provide students with real options, academic and practical. She expressed her delight at seeing boys taking up commercial food preparation and girls excelling in motor repairs, pointing to a shift in thinking that allows young people to pursue skills based on interest and talent rather than outdated gender norms.

This Practical Instruction Department is equipped with modern training spaces for a wide range of technical disciplines. It features a commercial food preparation kitchen with all the necessary equipment found in a professional culinary environment. The motor vehicle and small engine workshop includes hydraulic lifts, a digital wheel alignment system, and diagnostic tools capable of servicing everything from family cars to heavy-duty machinery.

The welding workshop is outfitted for arc, MIG, and acetylene welding, while the furniture-making workshop features high-grade saws and woodworking equipment. There is also a masonry and plumbing workshop with everything from tile cutters to concrete vibrators. Additionally, the facility boasts a rehabilitated smart classroom equipped with computers, a smartboard, and Starlink internet to support digital learning.

The Minister also addressed the growing global conversation about the value of skills versus academic degrees. She noted that the world is increasingly recognising that technical skills are just as valuable, if not more marketable, than traditional academic qualifications. She emphasised that the government is not limiting students to only academic subjects or predefined career paths, but instead, offering them access to both academic learning and technical training so they can choose what suits them best in a rapidly changing world.

Minister Manickchand remarked that if given the chance, she herself would explore skill-based training like tiling, describing it as not only lucrative but also highly creative and fulfilling. Her message was clear: that education should be about exposure, creativity, choice, and empowerment.

This newly commissioned facility in Bartica is part of a national push to ensure that students in every region have access to TVET. The GSDEP project has already delivered similar facilities in Regions 1, 3, 4, 5, and 9.
Yesterday’s commissioning reaffirms the Ministry of Education’s commitment to a more inclusive, modern, and skill-focused education system, one that meets the needs of today’s learners and tomorrow’s workforce.