Students of Queen’s College will benefit from the newly- commissioned state-of-the-art Industrial Technology and Home Economics building.
The building includes six new labs: three for Industrial Arts subjects and three for Home Economics. With this facility, students of the college will be better- -equipped to learn technical skills.
During remarks, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand acknowledged that while the country needs doctors, lawyers, and parliamentarians, the need for vocational training is becoming increasingly vital, as there is a growing demand for skilled labour in Guyana.
“We need a labour force that can look after the needs of Guyana and the conversation right now in the world is an interesting one, whether or not the academic degrees are worth as much as the skills training certificates,” Manickchand said.
With that consideration in mind, Minister Manickchand said students now have the opportunity to complete the Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQs) during high school or the traditional Caribbean Secondary Education Certificates (CSEC) subjects.
“We are trying to give a wider range of opportunities to all of our students to all, all our children, to all our young people,” the minister stated.
Meanwhile, Minister Manickchand also highlighted the importance of practical education and added that students must be able to make their own breakfast, prepare dinner, make their beds, and sew on buttons by third form.
Deputy Chief Education Officer, with responsibility for technical education, Dr. Ritesh Tularam, encouraged students to consider careers in technical and vocational fields.
“This is what will make you employable, and the lifelong learning skills we talked about, technical and vocation education and training will gravitate you towards, it will help you to realise what are your fullest potentialities,” Dr. Tularam said.
