“Every qualification represents potential” – Parag at TVET 2026 expo launch

…as students turn TVET skills into businesses

The Education Ministry has launched the 2026 Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Fair and Exposition, bringing together 58 exhibitors to showcase practical skills, innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities under the theme “From Classroom to Career: TVET in Action.”

The fair serves as a platform for students, training institutions, businesses and other stakeholders to demonstrate practical skills while exposing young people to career opportunities.
This publication caught up with students from various schools who took the opportunity to showcase their TVET skills and demonstrate how those skills can contribute to society.
One student, Jencia Komal who represented Cummings lodge Secondary school = who has applied her artistic skills to the production of cosmetics, has taken her training a step further by creating a business of her own, highlighting how TVET skills can be transformed into entrepreneurship and financial independence.
“I do Gel-X press-on nails, and it’s easier to do than acrylic nails. It’s way less expensive and it’s faster as well. As you can see, there is a lot of art, and nails are all about art, and persons love the art styles on the nails. So that’s how I incorporate art into my nails. First, you have to get the nails itself, and then you have to get the gel polishes, the things that you use to shape the nails, a flashlight, acetone, all sorts of things. And these things take time, especially when you are filing the nails.”
In fact, she has also developed strong time-management skills to effectively balance her TVET training with the business she has created.
“I have a schedule. I put those together, and I also have to make time for myself and the business. Not all the time I have to be studying, studying, studying. In my spare time, I do nails.”
Another young lady, Uche Wehgae from the same school was also showcasing her skills, demonstrating that women can be stylish and confident when they step out.
“I came up with the name of this business because I’m pretty. I offer beauty kits. If you want to start doing makeup, you can start by buying these products. They’re easy to carry around. If you want to carry it to school, you can even do this. There’s a lot of stuff in this pack, Spanish scrubs, body wash, etc,” the pupil mentioned.
She added, “My products enhance inner beauty, but you don’t need these, per se, to feel that you are beautiful. Right about now, I am getting a lot of orders, so it’s been very beneficial to me.”
Her aim is to channel beauty from within, while highlighting the benefits of incorporating her TVET skills into her business. Most importantly, she has been reaping the rewards of turning her skills and passion into a business venture.
Meanwhile, the Government is moving to expand access to technical and vocational education, with plans to establish a TVET school in every region by 2026, as Guyana seeks to equip more young people with practical skills for the workforce.
Education Minister Sonia Parag made these remarks while addressing a large number of students at the 2026 TVET Fair and Exposition, held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre on Tuesday.
“The Government has made a bold commitment that every region of Guyana will have a TVET centre by the end of 2026. Partnerships are taking training closer to communities, including collaborations involving the Carnegie School of Economics and practical instruction centres. This is what educational equity looks like in practice: ensuring that geography does not determine whether a person can acquire a marketable skill or participate meaningfully in the country’s development. We are already seeing a significant change in how students and families view technical education.”
Meanwhile, she highlighted that a whopping 2,813 students are expected to receive Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) certificates this year, marking a growing uptake of TVET training across various areas.
“Nearly half of the students who wrote the 2026 CSEC examinations pursued at least one TVET subject, as posited by the Chief Education Officer when he spoke at the ceremony. An increase of 8.9 per cent. This year, some 2,813 students are expected to receive the CVQ qualifications in areas such as agro-food processing, aquaculture, crop production, electrical installation, construction, welding, motor vehicle repairs, garment making and commercial food preparation. Those numbers matter because every qualification represents potential.”
Meanwhile, she also highlighted the Education Ministry’s goal of ensuring that TVET students who earn certificates are placed in the job market and gain meaningful employment.
“The ultimate goal is to have you earning as well, whether it be in the public sector or the private sector. Through collaboration with the Small Business Bureau, they are gaining business development knowledge, certification and access to possible grants. This is precisely the ecosystem we must continue to build—one in which our young people, that’s you, are taught not only how to seek opportunities but how to create them too.”