Over 140 youths and single parents from Region Five recently graduated from various life skills programmes hosted by the National Training Programme For Youth Empowerment (NTPYE) and the National Single Parents Training Programme.
At the graduation ceremony, Labour Minister Nadir urged the graduates to become role models and to “continue to strive to do better than our parents and those who blaze the trails before us.” He noted that after five years of hosting the programmes under the purview of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) more than 5000 persons have gained new skills and every year about 3000 youth graduate from government programmes with employable skills.
According to a Government Information Agency (GINA) press release, Nadir said the programme was made possible and has achieved these results through the efforts of former labour minister Dr Dale Bisnauth and President Bharrat Jagdeo. He recalled that Jagdeo launched the NTYPE in 2005 with a budget of $11M that has grown over the years to a budget of $145M, to date.
The NTPYE, like several other programmes including the Community Action Component of the Citizens Security Programme, and the health ministry’s programmes continue to target young people in vulnerable communities.
In the light of this, Nadir urged the graduates to cooperative to further develop their communities. “The lesson that you have learnt in making yourself available every day within the last four to six months to complete this programme, that lesson you need to tell children who are in school today about the value of them remaining in school and getting qualified starting with CXC,” Nadir said. The minister then urged the graduates to participate in other services at the ministry including the Central Recruitment and Manpower Agency that has been providing jobs for qualified persons.
According to GINA, he then urged the single parents to take advantage of the Women of Worth Programme facility currently ongoing between the ministry and the Guyana Bank for Trade and Industry which provides an opportunity for them to access loans ranging from $100,000 to $250,000 to establish and expand small businesses.
CEO/Secretary of BIT Genevieve Blackman thanked the trainers for imparting their knowledge to the participants. She also urged the graduates to use their skills to create a better life.
