Hinterland students who completed their secondary, technical and tertiary education under the Amerindian Affairs Ministry’s Hinterland Scholarship Programme have graduated, and can now pursue their dreams.
The annual graduation ceremony was held at the Umana Yana in Kingston, Georgetown, where students received their certificates and medals for outstanding performance. Students who wrote the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exams in 2022 recorded an 88 per cent pass rate, while Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) students recorded a 94.7 per cent pass rate.
Some $2 million was invested in the CSEC and CAPE examinations for 2022.
During her address at the graduation ceremony, Amerindian Affairs Minister Pauline Sukhai commended the students for completing their studies despite the challenges that confronted them.
Some of the students who completed the Hinterland Scholarship Programme
“Our Ministry is very thankful that you have stayed the course, that you have made us proud, made your parents proud, you made your community proud. I know that it is never easy to spend five years from home. We will seek to ensure that all the batches that come after you will see incremental changes and improvement in our programmes,” the Minister noted.
She challenged the younger generation to aim for a higher pass rate, and reiterated the Government’s commitment to providing quality education for all.
Meanwhile, Minister within the Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Anand Persaud, in his remarks, said the PPP/C Administration is committed to providing the best education for all Guyanese students.
“Whichever path you choose, I ask that you use the academic knowledge and skills you have acquired throughout the Hinterland Scholarship Programme to advance the development of yourself and your country,” he advised the graduates.
Senior Social Worker Christopher Sookdeo related that the investments have seen great results, with 61 students who sat the CSEC examination graduating. The students have secured 129 Grade Ones, 223 Grade Twos and 143 Grade Threes.
Currently, 684 students are benefitting from the scholarship programme countrywide. Conceptualised by the PPP/C Government, the programme aims to bridge the educational gap between hinterland and coastal students.
Besides the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs, Ryan Toolsiram; and Deputy Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Amerindian and Hinterland Education Development, Marti De Souza, other officials and family members were present at the ceremony.
