Declining enrolment in technical education institutions in Berbice is raising concern among education leaders, even as Guyana continues to expand investment in skills training and workforce development.
At a recent graduation ceremony, Director of the Guyana Technical Training College Inc., Professor Clement K. Sankat, noted a noticeable drop in student enrolment, a trend he said must be urgently addressed by parents, guardians and community leaders.
He pointed to the long-established Guysuco Technical Training College, which has operated for more than 70 years and built an international reputation for producing skilled graduates. Despite its legacy and continued relevance in a modernising economy, he said fewer young people are enrolling.
“What is bothering to me is that numbers are declining, and I want to therefore raise this matter to my Berbician community, especially the parents of guardians. Look, the government of Guyana has been investing significantly in our technical institutions, building new ones,enhancing older ones, building this one with Exxon,” Sankat said.
He urged residents of Berbice to take greater advantage of ongoing investments in technical education, warning that opportunities being created through state and private sector partnerships, including those linked to the expanding energy sector, may go underutilised if enrolment continues to fall.
“You can take a horse to water, but you can’t force the horse to drink it…Our government is creating the opportunities, Berbicians. Seize it. All of you can’t become doctor and lawyer.
All of you can do that.The world now needs technology much more than only health care and education and banking and finance, etc. All important, but we are focused on technical skills that will guarantee you a job,” he said.
Professor Sankat encouraged young people to view technical education as a direct pathway to employment, noting that many graduates secure immediate job placements, often in rotational work arrangements which, while demanding, offer strong financial and professional benefits.
As Guyana advances its long-term economic transformation agenda, he cautioned that continued declines in technical enrolment could undermine the country’s ability to fully benefit from its investments in education and skills development.
