Dear Editor,
President Ramotar must be complimented for stressing that “the most important factor for development is our people,” and that the main goal of his government is “the development of human capital.” Such assurances are like music to the ears of professionals in the field of Human Resource Development; therefore we can applaud and take comfort in all such statements coming from the highest office in our country.
It is opportune to remind ourselves that the effective development of human capital is not limited to the acquisition of academic knowledge and technical or vocational skills; it must also include the necessary elements of proper attitude such as punctuality, regularity, honesty, courtesy, discipline, dedication and above all, a work ethic.
The curricula of our teaching, training and learning institutions must include the KSA tripod (Knowledge/Skill/Attitude) of Human Resource Development with equal if not greater emphasis on the attitudinal aspects. Admittedly, it is not easy to ‘teach’ these; they are best imparted through exemplary behaviours which must start from the top. In this regard, our politicians, community leaders, teachers, parents and all managerial/supervisory personnel have a collective responsibility to ensure that they represent the best role models in our society.
Yours faithfully,
Nowrang Persaud