The University of Guyana’s (UG) Institute of Distance and Continuing Education (IDCE) hosted its graduation ceremony for hundreds of students recently at the Turkeyen Campus.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, acting Director at IDCE Francis Glasgow said the institute has sought over the years to provide opportunities for persons to pursue and participate in various types of Open and Distance Learning (ODL) programmes and activities.
“Remedial, focusing on basic and literacy education; vocational, technical and professional; health, welfare and family life; civic, political and community competence and self-fulfillment typify some of the categories of ODL programmes conducted by the instituted during the 2007-2008 academic year,” he said.
The institute hosted a number academic, vocational, technical and professional programmes/courses at various locations for 2,250 adult learners.
He said too one of the institute’s objectives is to arrest the declining literacy levels in Guyana. Glasgow also said IDCE broke new ground this year when it hosted the university’s first online courses: Supervisory Man-agement and Principle of Accounts which attracted 34 participants from George-town, Linden and New Amsterdam.
Meanwhile, Vera Naughton in her charge to the graduates told them that the ceremony was UG’s way of expressing pride at their achievements.
She also told them that they have already begun to distinguish themselves as leaders. “Guyana and indeed the world need your leadership.
We need your leadership as we face the challenges of an increasingly complex and interdependent world. We need your leadership to develop new ways to bridge old divides-not only between peoples and nations, but also between technology and policy…leadership in this modern world depends critically on integrating across different perspectives for a common good,” she said.
Naughton also encouraged them to be an inspiration to their colleagues and allow their achievements to stimulate a renewed sense of optimism for the future. “Your work must be engraved across industry, commerce, arts and agriculture. That optimism for a better future must be a beacon, visible the world over, you must kindle in others the same love and passion for truth, honesty and discovery, for creativity and problem-solving.
I hope that each of you will embrace this challenge as your own-that you will let your light shine out to illuminate the paths for others,” she added.
According to GINA the best graduating students in Industrial Relations and Management Sherry Oneka Jerrick and Samantha Sumner shared the honour of valedictorian.
