508 nursing assistants enter workforce

Some of the graduates (Credit: Karasabai Home of the Sun Parakeets)

A total of 508 nursing assistants graduated from the Ministry of Health’s Health Sciences Education Nursing Assistant Programme on Wednesday.

Delivering the programme report at the National Cultural Centre, Director of Training and Education within the Ministry of Health, Dr. Chandroutie Persaud-Bahadur, said the achievement reflects the resilience, perseverance and dedication of the students, many of whom are working adults and parents.

She noted that examination outcomes for the graduating cohort were “outstanding overall,” with several students graduating with honours.

Persaud-Bahadur said 65 trainees remain enrolled and are receiving academic support, while 11 students did not meet the requirements to graduate during the April assessment period.

“Despite continuous efforts, support is being provided so students can complete the programme and remain confident,” she said.

She provided a regional breakdown of the trainees, saying the largest cohort came from Region Four with 158 students, followed by Region Six with 66, Region Five with 64, Region One with 52 and Region Two with 43. Smaller numbers came from Regions Seven, Eight, Nine and Ten.

According to Persaud-Bahadur, the wide geographic spread demonstrated the effectiveness of the programme’s delivery model.

She further disclosed that 2,205 students graduated from Ministry of Health programmes in 2025 alone, while more than 3,000 students are currently enrolled in various health training programmes nationwide.

“This shows that the training model is working and expanding access without lowering standards,” she said.

Addressing the graduates, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony said the ceremony comes at a time of unprecedented transformation in the health sector, driven by major investments in hospitals, technology and human resources.

“At the rate we are expanding, training 200 people a year was just not enough,” he said, explaining that the ministry introduced a hybrid training model to increase output while maintaining quality.

He said the approach allowed students to train in their home regions, reducing barriers for those unable to relocate.

Dr. Anthony encouraged graduates not to stop at the nursing assistant level.

“We don’t want this to be your singular academic achievement,” he said, urging them to plan their next academic steps, including registered nursing, medical training or specialist fields.

He also highlighted free tertiary education opportunities available through the government’s Guyana Online Learning Academy (GOAL), stressing that developing human resources remains critical to national development.

Graduates are expected to be contacted in the coming weeks to begin the registration process, which is expected to lead to licencing within six weeks.