The United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) recently presented equipment valued $3.6M to the Education Ministry’s TVET programme.
UNESCO Secretary-General Inge Nathoo handed over the items to representatives from the Government Technical Institute (GTI), the Essequibo Technical Institute (ETI) and the Carnegie School of Home Economics, a report from the Government Information Agency (GINA) said. The gift comprised computer systems, keyboards, cameras and other electronics.
The donation was the final tranche of the ‘Strengthening of Technical and Vocational Education and Training and the Guyana UNEVOC Centre’ collaboration between the ministry and UNESCO.
The project contributed to the development of three important areas of the national TVET system. “Thirty lecturers were also trained to conduct progress assessment of students pursuing studies in Competency Based Modularised Programmes under this project,” GINA said.
In addition, under the project a Resource Centre was established at the GTI, ETI, the New Amsterdam Technical Institute and the Carnegie school, along with the development of a Documentation and Materials Production Centre at the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) Secretariat, which came under the purview of UNESCO on August 6, 2010 and is now a UNEVOC Centre.
Nathoo said that the ministry had approached UNESCO for US$26,000 assistance in the TVET sector, but due to financial constraints only US$18,000 or $3.6M was invested.
Chairman of the Board of Industrial Training (BIT) and CTVET Clinton Williams thanked UNESCO for making the investment into the programme, saying it was necessary in the process of learning to allow students to obtain their Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ).
