Manickchand, addressing a small gathering of teachers, students and members of the diplomatic corps at the Herdmanston Lodge in Lamaha Street, said that there is still a need for women and girls to be trained with technical skills.
She noted that over the past 80 years, the school has contributed a great deal of skills to the country in terms of food management and preparation and homemaking.
“We need to ask ourselves how we can get more men and boys involved in these courses which will help them to prepare for future homemaking,” Manickchand said. She added that the ministry will also be looking at ways to get women more involved in technical fields, such as carpentry and construction work which is usually done by men.
The ministry is also looking at how it could use the institute as an international university where foreign students could study tourism and hospitality, she added.
Chairman of the school John Seeram said it has faced some challenges over the past year, owing to increasing demand to train more students for the special needs of some clients.
He added that more students who are enrolled into the school are encouraged to intern at hotels and five-star restaurants prior to graduating from the school. Seeram added that the school ensures that quality assurance is the main objective when dealing with these clients.
Past Principal and current board member Magda Pollard gave a brief historical perspective of the past four decades of the school, which opened in 1933. She said that there is need for a science laboratory in the school for the study of food science.
Presentations were made to Pollard and Seeram for their years of service to the school.
The calendar of events for the Carnegie School of Home Economics’ 80th anniversary will kick off with a service on March 21 at the Trinity Methodist Church. There will be a craft bonanza on April 29; a chef’s competition and a lecture series in May; television programmes and participation in Carifesta and Inter-Guianas Festival; a tea party in September; an international fun day in October and a black cake bake-off in November along with a black tie affair.
