A $175m (US$832,883) contract was signed today for the expansion of the North West Secondary School Practical Instruction Department (PID) in Region One.
A Ministry of Education release said that the contract for this expansion was awarded to International Import and Supplies and is expected to be completed in 12 months while the consultancy firm is Caribbean Engineering and Management Consultants Inc.
This project is being funded by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Guyana through the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP).
The release said that with this expansion and the improved PID, the school will be able to offer the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level one and two training in five areas while more will be added in the future. The five areas are Commercial food preparation, Motor vehicle repairs (cars and light trucks), Electrical installation, Furniture making/carpentry and joinery and Home Economics. The CVQ is recognised in the Caribbean thereby making students also marketable within CARICOM.
Minister of Education Priya Manickchand said today that programmes such as this are important in communities where there is lower interest in students to obtain the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC). She said that the Ministry is trying to ensure that students in these communities can still leave school with qualifications that will make them employable.