The newly expanded and rehabilitated $225 million Beterverwagting Practical Instruction Centre (BVPIC) was officially commissioned on Thursday, marking a significant step in Guyana’s efforts to expand Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
By September, more than 100 schools across the country will be offering Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) courses, bringing Guyana closer to achieving universal access to TVET education.
The school, funded by the Caribbean Development Bank, will accommodate 400 students, primarily from Region Four.
Equipped with state-of-the-art training workshops, BVPIC will provide hands-on learning experiences in fields such as crop production, general construction, commercial food preparation, and masonry. The centre will also operate beyond regular school hours, allowing working individuals and parents to access training opportunities.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand emphasised the government’s commitment to providing future generations with opportunities that were previously unavailable.
“Children will then go into either TVET or mainstream education, but they will have choices that their parents never had. So, when we say TVET can save you, we say that with passion because we understand that it is these skills that the world now needs. It is these skills that Guyana, in a special way, now needs. And it is these skills that are paid right now the most for,” she stated.
The BVPIC project is part of a broader national effort to enhance TVET accessibility and retention rates by diversifying course options. Minister Manickchand encouraged young people to take full advantage of these opportunities, highlighting that CVQ-certified students are considered matriculated and meet the requirements for entry into post-secondary education.
“So, to all of you young people…the world is yours once you qualify yourself. In whichever field you want to, the world is yours. This country has opportunities like you would never be able to dream of for people who are skilled,” she added.
