As both hinterland and coastland leaders call for the establishment of technical skills training centres, a Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) retreat was on Thursday held at Cara Lodge in Georgetown, with involvement of the Education Ministry (MoE) in an aim to improve the quality and delivery of technical and vocational programmes across Guyana.
The retreat falls on the basis of the CTVET’s mission to provide the Guyanese workforce with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to increase productivity and economic development.
A section of CTVET delegation on Thursday
Speaking at the opening of proceedings, Councillor Archibald Clifton said the CTVET will further undertake initiatives to ensure young persons are equipped with skills, not only relevant to Guyana, but CARICOM member states as well.
Some of the major areas discussed during the exercise were staffing complement, increased demand for technical programmes, regulations, and even duty free concessions for CTVET monitors.
Another topic that came up for discussion was Education Minister Nicolette Henry acknowledging calls by CTVET for more support from the MoE. She, however, told councillors they must formulate initiatives to form stronger partnerships with stakeholders.
“I therefore trust that this retreat will give you the roadmap and action plans to be able to reach out to the wider community, including internal stakeholders like the Ministry, the private sector and employers of industries, other training institutions, Government agencies and NGOs (non-governmental organisations) who are involved in providing training skills and workforce development,” the Education Minister noted.
CTVET is guided by the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act of 2004, which gives it oversight of public technical institutions, including Government Technical Institute, Guyana Industrial Training Centre, and the Carnegie School of Home Economics.
Guyana Times, just last week, reported on Santa Rosa Toshao Sherwin Abrams calling for the establishment of a technical and vocational institute to equip young persons with life skills. He made these calls in light of the issues surrounding youths engaging in substance abuse in some sections of Santa Rosa.
Abrams highlighted that the main drug used was marijuana.
“We are trying to curb it and control it. We are currently forming a policing group to support the Police, (who are) trying to suppress substance abuse,” he noted.
“Once they consume it, they feel they’re bigger than their parents; parents have no control. So it is a real issue with families,” he said.
Abrams highlighted that, for the past three years, the CTVET has been advocating for Government to establish a technical centre which can cater for the educational requirements of school drop-outs and recovered substance abusers.
He noted that the CTVET was requesting that the Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs Ministry establish a technical institute within the Moruca sub-region. This institution, according to Abrams, would cater for many trades; not just carpentry, joinery, and plumbing.
