Twenty-four students were on Friday awarded bursaries totalling over $840,000 as the Guyana Water Incorporated (GWI) honoured the children of its employees who wrote the 2022 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA).
The ceremony was hosted at the company’s head office in Georgetown which saw Housing and Water Minister Collin Croal telling the awardees that it matters not what school they were awarded but the effort they put into learning.
The bursary awardees at the event
Croal encouraged the students to focus on their school work so that they may excel and be a part of Guyana’s future development.
He posited that Guyana will not be the same five years from now when they graduate, due to the transformation that is currently taking place under President Dr Irfaan Ali. In this regard, he advised them to take advantage of the opportunities currently available to them, so that they can reap the benefits when it comes time to choose a career path.
The Minister made reference to the numerous non-traditional avenues available for work, particularly with the advent of the growing oil and gas sector.
GWI CEO Shaik Baksh related to the students that determination is key to succeeding and reaching higher heights. He told them to utilise their time and the internet wisely to expand their knowledge.
Minister Collin Croal handing over one of the awards to a student
As a former Minister of Education, Baksh highlighted Mathematics and English as the most challenging subjects for students to gain high scores in at CSEC over the years. As such, he encouraged them to work towards good grades at the level of their secondary school life, as this will ultimately set them up for good overall results at CSEC.
Baksh, who is also a former lecturer at the University of Guyana, said aiming to do well in the core subjects will ensure them an opportunity to progress to the tertiary level.
Meanwhile, the Vice Chairman of GWI’s Board of Directors, Dharamkumar Seeraj reminded the students and parents gathered that extracurricular activity such as sports and music help in giving them a holistic lifestyle.
Executive Director of Human Resources Management & Development, Elvis Jordon said their award is the testimony of their hard work, as well as that of their teachers and parents as they prepared for their examinations.
This year’s top achievers are Ruel Joseph who secured a place at Queen’s College; Liesl Pearson, Tomesh Sookram and Chivrat Singh, who were all awarded The Bishops’ High School; and Nandita Neeroram, who got St Rose’s High School.
Giving the vote of thanks, Ruel Joseph, on behalf of his fellow students and their parents, thanked GWI’s Board of Directors and Management for the recognition and awards presented to them.
