Bartica’s new $360M Centre offering hands-on skills to take young adults from the classroom to their careers

A $360 million state-of-the-art Bartica Practical Instruction Centre, the sixth of its kind in the country, was commissioned by Education Minister Priya Manickchand on Wednesday.

This facility adds to a line of centres providing cutting-edge technology that will greatly advance the technical and vocational education and training (TVET) here.

It is a massive investment into the country’s educational infrastructure, the minister said.

“We have TVET education in a very structured, state of the art way in nine of the ten regions of this country.

“This facility gives you what you would not have had here before, the opportunity to benefit from the traditional type education, Math and Social Studies and Science, mixed with skills that you can perfect right here or then move on to a technical training centre,” the Education Minister said.

Emphasising the importance of facilities like this, Minister Manickchand said Guyana’s geographical makeup is unique. She noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic many of the shortcomings were highlighted and new methods and systems to improve the education system were incorporated.

It was following the pandemic that the education ministry increased its text book distribution to each student rather than classrooms only and hybrid learning was expanded to include the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE).

“That’s the kind of work that went into making sure we could not only continue an education system but better it,” Minister Manickchand said.

Additionally, the minister said these facilities are designed to transform and improve the country’s skilled labour capacity. Referring to global research on the need for persons to be certified in both traditional educational methods and skill based, the minister said every Guyanese child in the education system is learning a trade.

“Our hope is that every child in the country, by third form, will have CVQ certification. So you’re not just limited to one thing or the other [traditional certificates or trade certificates],” the minister said.

At these centres commissioned at Mabaruma, Fellowship, Hope Town, Betterverwagting, St. Ignatius and now Bartica, students can take up skills training in motor repairs, commercial food preparations, furniture making, welding, masonry, plumbing, and information technology. These facilities are strategically constructed in the compound of the secondary schools to provide easier access to classes.