Under the Caricom Single Market Economy (CSME) Standby Facility, Guyana has received funding totalling over $56 million to strengthen its technical and vocational training, and accreditation councils.
According to a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) press release, the funding is for two projects: Institutional Strengthening of the National Accreditation Council (NAC) and Institutional Strengthening of the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (CTVET) of Guyana.
Under the CTVET project, for which a US$104,052 grant has been approved by the Project Steering Committee of the Standby Facility, the capacity of the CTVET to deliver quality and robust technical vocational education and training (TVET) accessible to all Guyanese nationals would be targeted. The CDB says this would entail the development of financial and gender responsive TVET communications strategies specifically aimed at increasing the enrolment and promotion of equal participation by girls and women in TVET courses.
The other project, for which a grant of US$171,856 has been approved, aims to improve the NAC’s capacity to regulate the delivery of post-secondary educational services. The CDB says this has to be done to such a degree that a National Qualifications Framework has to be developed based on the Caricom Qualifications Framework.
In addition, there is to be the development of a quality assurance and accreditation system based on international standards and best practices and the drafting of regulations to support the full implementation of the NAC’s mandate.
The release said the project is expected to increase productivity in the public sector, competitiveness in the private sector, and accommodate the free movement of labour under the CSME. In addition, it is expected to increase local, regional and international investment in Guyana’s education sector.
According to the release, the Standby Facility of the CSME was set up by the European Union and is being funded through the 10th European Development Fund (EDF) with €3.45M. It says the facility is aimed at assisting Caricom countries with furthering the implementation of the CSME at the national level.
