New Practical Instruction Department commissioned in St. Ignatius 

President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, joined by the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, on Friday commissioned the St. Ignatius Practical Instruction Department (PID) in Lethem, Region 9.

This momentous occasion signals the government’s ongoing commitment to improving access to quality technical and vocational education across Guyana, particularly in hinterland communities.

The St. Ignatius PID was established through the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP), which is funded by a US $11.7 million loan from the Caribbean Development Bank and supported by the Government of Guyana.

The project is a key part of a national strategy to improve Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) by enhancing infrastructure, providing modern equipment, and strengthening the capacity of instructors to deliver high-quality, industry-driven programmes.

This new state-of-the-art facility in Lethem will offer Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) Level 1 and Level 2 certification in five priority sectors: tourism and hospitality, construction, information and communication technology, agriculture, and business.

Delivering the feature address at the commissioning ceremony, His Excellency President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali emphasized the Government of Guyana’s commitment to strengthening the TVET sector in response to the growing demand for skilled labour and the historically limited avenues available to cultivate such skills.

“We recognize that there is a need for faster and more qualitative upskilling,” the President stated. “That is why we are investing in the construction of a technical college at Port Mourant, which will become the country’s main incubator of skills.”

Dr Ali further outlined that the Government is not only focused on producing skilled professionals for the national workforce, but also on equipping individuals with the capabilities to thrive internationally. “Once you obtain basic certifications in areas such as welding, machine operations, hospitality and culinary arts, we will facilitate your transition to more advanced training in world-class hospitality institutions and oil and gas facilities, thereby enhancing the quality and global relevance of your services,” he noted.

The President also addressed the cultural shift that is underway regarding the perception of technical and vocational training. He asserted that Guyana is moving away from the outdated notion that technical education is inferior to academic education.

“Many people prefer the more practical approach to life. Practical Instruction Centres and technical education do not represent diminished education,” President Ali affirmed.

“We came up in a system where the value of technical training was underestimated. However, technical education offers a practical orientation to meet the current and future needs of the country, the global economy, and the workforce.”

In her remarks, the Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, echoed the administration’s commitment to meeting the real and expressed needs of citizens.

“We asked you what it is that you want; what would give your children better opportunities,” she said. “We have built eight new primary schools, eight secondary schools, and 22 nursery schools.”

The Minister underscored that the expansion of infrastructure must be accompanied by increased teacher training.

“Because of the schools we are building, we need to ensure we have qualified educators. Region 9 now has 263 trained teachers, with another 425 currently in training.”

Minister Manickchand further highlighted the tangible impact of this approach, noting that the National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) results in the region have seen significant improvement from a 26% pass rate to over 50%, marking a strong trajectory in educational outcomes.

Students now have the opportunity to receive practical, hands-on training in areas such as commercial food preparation, furniture making, electrical installation, crop production, general office administration, and data operations. These programmes are designed to prepare learners for employment, further education, or entrepreneurship, equipping them with regionally recognized certification that is relevant and in demand.

The facility is outfitted with a commercial kitchen, a furniture-making workshop, an ICT laboratory, and a fully equipped electrical installation room. The total cost of construction amounted to $269,437,293.54.

An additional $87,038,505.74 was used to procure nearly 400 pieces of specialized training equipment, ranging from basic hand tools to advanced technology like blast freezers, band saws, desktop computers, and smartboards. This brings the total investment in the St. Ignatius PID to $356,475,799.28.

The centre is expected to serve more than 1,000 students, many of whom will now be able to pursue skills training without having to leave their community.

The commissioning of the St. Ignatius Practical Instruction Department represents another major step forward in the government’s mission to ensure that all Guyanese, regardless of where they live, have access to quality education and training that meets global standards and prepares them for the future (Press release from the Ministry of Education)