Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand yesterday officially commissioned the US$1.9 million Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre at Mahaica, Region Five.
A release from the Ministry of Education said that the project’s primary goal is to enhance access to Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) and reduce unemployment among the target population of 400 students.
This initiative was made possible through strategic collaboration among key stakeholders, including the Government of Guyana, Caribbean Development Bank, Ministry of Finance, Council for TVET, Ministry of Labour and the Regional Democratic Council of Region Five.
The release informed that the centre has been retrofitted and expanded to provide Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level 1 training in five occupational areas: 1) Graphic Arts, 2) Commercial Food Preparation, 3) Masonry/Plumbing, 4) Electrical Installation, and 5) Housekeeping, and Carpentry.
It added that with these new facilities and training programmes, the institution is set to become a leading hub for skills training in Region Five, offering young people and adults alike, the opportunity to build technical expertise and improve their employability.
Students at the Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre will now have access to CVQ Level 1 training in the aforementioned areas to equip graduates with recognised certification that will enable them to pursue further education or enter the workforce with marketable skills. The institution now boasts a Learning Resource Centre, two rehabilitated workshops, modernised training equipment, and a newly constructed washroom block with provisions for persons with disabilities.
Further, the Housekeeping and Carpentry building was rehabilitated, with new tools and equipment supplied and installed for each workshop to ensure that students and instructors have access to modern, industry-standard training environments that will better prepare them for the workforce.
According to the release, the establishment of the centre is expected to significantly benefit the principal, teachers, workshop assistants, students, early school leavers, and members of communities in Region Five, along with three neighbouring schools as well as the Ministry of Education. By increasing access to high-quality vocational training, this initiative directly aligns with the government’s broader mission of fostering economic growth and reducing unemployment.
The centre will offer a second-chance evening programme for individuals looking to enhance their skills and employability to ensure that individuals who may have missed out on traditional education pathways still have an opportunity to gain qualifications and improve their economic prospects.
The Hopetown Practical Instructional Centre is seen not just an investment in infrastructure but an investment in people and represents a tangible commitment to empowering citizens with the skills they need to secure meaningful employment and contribute to the national economy. By offering a structured learning environment equipped with industry-relevant tools and resources, the centre bridges the gap between education and employment, fostering a skilled workforce that is prepared to meet the evolving needs of the job market.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, Manickchand, reflected on the strides made in educational development across Region Five. She detailed the government’s ongoing projects, including the expansion of teacher training facilities, extensive school rehabilitations, and efforts to ensure universal access to nursery, primary, and secondary education.
Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Technical), Dr Ritesh Tularam, underscored the Ministry’s commitment to creating seamless educational pathways that guide students from secondary school into technical careers. He highlighted the implementation of competency-based education models in secondary schools, ensuring that every student is exposed to TVET subjects early in their academic journey.
“The Ministry of Education would’ve ensured that all the necessary systems are in place, mechanisms are in place to ensure that our students are transiting in a very smooth way, from the entrance of their secondary school life, ultimately to the exiting of their secondary school life.
We would’ve launched the CCSLC in our secondary schools. That programme mirrors a competency-based education modus. It means that every child will be exposed to a TVET subject, as articulated by the Honourable Minister of Education. And so, from Grade seven, we are chartering the pathway in a very systematic fashion so that our students can realise their career projection in becoming an engineer, an architect, a mason, and all the other areas we’re talking about, especially in technical education,” the DCEO-Technical explained.
