Hundreds including children and police from the Pomeroon-Supenaam area in Region Two as well as the neighbouring islands can now consider themselves better equipped with the necessary knowledge in Information Technology (IT) after successfully graduating from the Richard Faikall Police College in computer studies. The courses were offered in collaboration with the Zara Computer Centre (ZCC) at Suddie.
On Saturday, 491 persons successfully graduated from 19 programmes including five foundation, three advanced, two PC repair and maintenance, and one police programme along with seven summer programmes in three different age groups ranging from 6-9, 10-13, and 14-17. The training was conducted at Zara Computer Centre at the Richard Faikall Police College at Suddie, Region Two.
Giving an overview of the project was one of the trainers, Yelena Jairam, who said that back in 2018, Zara Computer Centre had launched a new programme, Introduction to the Internet and also web page designs. In 2019 more than 1,000 persons received training while in 2021, 242 persons did IT courses. Jairam noted that despite the pandemic, persons have shown a keen interest to become computer qualified.
For the remainder of 2021, the Zara team intends to host two additional adult foundation programmes and one advanced programme which will result in an estimated 60 additional students being trained by the end of 2021.
Delivering the charge to the graduates was Sergeant Gladwin Hanover who runs the Richard Faikall Police College. Hanover congratulated everyone who had completed the courses and said that they had made the wisest decision to enroll in Information Technology courses at RFP/Zara Computer Centre.
“Graduating class, each one of you will not tell me, but I know for sure that determination, self-will, perseverance and conscientiousness are just some of the qualities you have exercised which have caused you to be successful, today I am proud and so is everyone,” Hanover said.
He urged them to continue to upgrade their studies in IT at Zara Computer Centre since the benefits of IT knowledge are rewarding. He also used the opportunity to thank the founder of Zara Computer Centre, Jay Sobraj, the Zara team, and the Guyana Police Force for making the courses available free to persons in the Region.
Delivering the feature address was Region Two Commander, Superintendent Denise Griffith. She also urged persons to continue to upgrade their IT skills at the Zara Computer Centre and not to stop studying. She said that the Information Technology field affords persons great opportunities and also makes them marketable in that field of work. She also said she was particularly happy to see young people being a part of the course and posited that this was one of the ways the Guyana Police Force fosters relationships with members of the public.
Meanwhile, one of the participants, Annie Latchman, said she was happy to be a part of the advanced course. She described it as a life-changing experience for her and said that she was happy that she chose to continue studying in the field of Information Technology.
