THE Ministry of Human Services and Social Security celebrated another milestone on Tuesday as 50 individuals graduated from its Early Childhood Development (ECD) programme, Childcare Level 3 course, each receiving a G$100,000 grant to establish their own childcare facility.

The advanced training, conducted through the Childcare and Protection Agency (CPA) in partnership with the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN), aims to upskill caregivers and improve the quality of early childhood education across Guyana.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre, Minister Dr. Vindhya Persaud revealed that since 2021, over 3,200 individuals have been trained in the Childcare programme from Levels One to Two.

The Level Three course, she explained, targets children from birth to 3 years and 9 months, and is supported by newly constructed infrastructures to enhance childcare delivery.
“We moved into Early Childhood Development with the intention of advancing both infrastructural development and human capacity. While doing that, we ensured that those already in childcare were not left behind. As a result, we trained 1,003 persons in Early Childhood Development who came from existing care centres across the regions,” Minister Persaud stated.
The Minister also announced plans to introduce Level Four of the ECD programme, focusing on Special Needs Education, to ensure caregivers are fully prepared to support children from diverse backgrounds. She encouraged graduates to continue their professional development by enrolling in the upcoming course.

Director of CPA, Levine Gouveia highlighted that the Level Three training emphasises holistic development—cognitive, physical, social, and emotional growth—while ensuring compliance with national childcare standards.

“By reaching Level 3, caregivers demonstrate a higher level of competence and professionalism, which directly translates to improved outcomes for children in their care. This initiative not only raises the standard of early childhood care but also supports employment creation and economic empowerment,” he noted.

The Ministry has also encouraged the establishment of care centres, including the recently constructed Day, Night Care, and Early Childhood Development Centre in Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara), which will serve as a practical training hub for participants. Additionally, the newly finalised Home-Based Care Policy allows women to enter the formal care sector, providing them with technical support, specialised training, and financial grants.

Graduates were further urged to form consortia, a strategy aimed at fostering collaboration and shared growth among newly trained childcare professionals.