North West Secondary School to be upgraded with $166M expansion

…CVQ training to be offered at new facility

With the signing of a US$832,883 contract, the Practical Instruction Department of the North West Secondary will be expanded to offer Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) training.
The expansion will cater for level one and two training in five occupational areas, namely: commercial food preparation, motor vehicle repairs, electrical installation; furniture making or carpentry; and joinery and home economics. The CVQ is recognised in the Caribbean region thereby making students also marketable within Caricom.
The contract for this expansion was awarded to International Import and Supplies while the consultancy firm is Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants Incorporated.
Funding was made possible through the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Guyana through the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP).

Education Minister Priya Manickchand, Permanent Secretary Alfred King and the contractor posing with a signed copy of the contract

Education Minister Priya Manickchand said at the signing ceremony that the Ministry plans to develop and enhance what is offered at the Technical Vocational level. She said that to do this, the right facilities need to be available. This project will enable the residents of the North West District the opportunity to become more employable and to develop themselves through the usage of the facility.
“This certificate will be recognised across the region. That’s what we are going to be able to offer to our students in the North West District – something they couldn’t get before. This project is expected to complete in 10 months so, before the next year that students come into the system, we’re going to be able to offer these,” she outlined.
Minister Manickchand said such programmes are important in communities where there are students who have a lower interest in obtaining the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). She said that the Ministry is trying to ensure that students can leave school with qualifications to take up a trade.
“Particularly in these communities, these programmes are very important. We’re trying right now in the Ministry of Education to match the communities that we see the least interest in writing CSEC exams with how we can make sure you leave school with qualifications that would make you employable. These are some of the gaps we’re trying to plug.”
With this being another contract signed between the Ministry and a contractor, Manickchand reiterated Government’s position on contractors failing to complete projects according to contractual obligations.
“It is not because we like to quarrel that we ask for quality work delivered in a timely manner, it is because if you don’t give us that, you are robbing children, students and people of what we promise them we will be able to deliver,” the Education Minister noted.
Projects currently lagging in the Ministry include the St Rose’s High School, the Good Hope Secondary School and the Yarrowkabra Secondary School projects. She reiterated that if contractors cannot honour their obligations, their contracts will be terminated.