The Guyana Police Force (GPF) hosted its third annual graduation ceremony at the Zara Training Centre, in Eve Leary, on Friday to certify students who have successfully completed various Information Technology training programmes.
Among the graduates were Commander of E Division (Linden-Kwakwani) and Senior Superintendent Calvin Brutus, who was labelled as one of the highest achievers with a 98.9 per cent pass.
Addressing the graduates, Superintendent Shivpersaud Bacchus encouraged the students to continue their education along the Information Communication Technology (ICT) field.
Graduates and members of the Guyana Police Force
He said “We will need to leverage the best tools which are available, undoubtedly so, in today’s modern world, Information Communication Technology is one of those tools.”
Bacchus noted that the ICT training was made available to Guyanese from 2012, through a partnership between the US-based Zara Group of Companies and the GPF.
“Education is not only about bookish knowledge. It is also about practical knowledge,” he said, quoting from the annually published Zara Group of Companies book.
During the course overview of the ICT trainings conducted, the Information Technology Trainer, Woman Corporal Andries Smith, revealed that there was successful completion of 20 programmes, including eight adult courses, six foundation programmes, one advanced programme, one Personal Computer (PC) repairs and maintenance programme, three youth foundation programmes, one work preparedness programme, one Caribbean Secondary Examination Certificate (CSEC) Electronic Data Preparation and Management (EDPM) and Information Technology (IT) programme, four summer programmes (two of which are from the C Division) and four Police programmes.
Smith added that the subject EDPM received nine Grade Ones, eight Grade Twos and two Grade Threes, while IT received two Grade Threes.
“Our students ranged from seven years to the oldest, 73 years, which is a plain indication that no matter your age, anyone can become computer literate,” she said.
She said too that in future training sessions, there will be additions of two new foundation programmes, one youth programme and one advance programme, which she said is expected to attract an estimated 170 new participants.
“We will continue to display professionalism and increase the standard of the Guyana Police Force/Zara Computer Centre and further build a stronger community relationship,” she concluded.
The Assistant Commissioner Paul Williams, opined that the training programmes will enable persons from different counties to become skilled in the ICT sector, adding that through this skill, jobs can easily be attained or created.
Williams also encouraged others to apply for the courses; interested persons can uplift an application form from the Guyana Police Force’s Training Centre, in Eve Leary.
