153 youths graduate from skills training programme in Berbice

The Roadside Baptist Skills Training Centre, Region Six has been playing a significant role in changing the lives of Berbicians by providing them with opportunities to be trained to ensure they elevate themselves.

The centre’s efforts were last Saturday afternoon lauded by Prime Minister Samuel Hinds, performing duties on behalf of the president.

The centre was established with the aim of creating opportunities through the provisions of adult education, skills training and social services for young people, to improve their quality of life. Last Saturday, it held its 19th graduation ceremony.

The PM, speaking at the graduation of 153 persons from the centre, said government recognises and is much appreciative of the training being offered by Roadside Baptist Skills Training Centre as it helps to ensure that everyone can answer the call to make a contribution to developing Guyana.

Minister within the Finance Ministry, Juan Edghill; First Lady Deolatchmee Ramotar, U. S. Ambassador D Brent Hardt and Region Six Chairman David Armogan were among some of the guests who witnessed the graduation at the school’s Number 63 Village, East Berbice location.

The event also served as the launch for the centre’s newest social service programme, the Berbice Male Action Network (BeMAN) funded by a grant under the USAID Governance Enhancement Project with the aim of seeking out and engaging men in the region, in discussion towards effecting positive changes in the prevalence of domestic violence.

Addressing the graduates, Prime Minister Hinds called on them to recognise the acquisition of the skills as a step in the right direction in a process of ongoing daily education. He told them that government has been very focused on equipping youths with the right education to empower them and to develop the country. The prime minister said the focus is reflected in the heavy allocation to the education programme and the continuous reform of these programmes.

Government’s concern is still on those who, for one reason or another, may not have been able to take maximum advantage of the primary, secondary and tertiary educational opportunities available to them.

First Lady Deolatchmie Ramotar also spoke about the second chance being afforded the graduates and the need for them to make full use of it. Lauding them for having taken advantage of the opportunity provided, she said that this shows their ambition and determination to improve their status, as a mark of distinction and a sign of their development.

Ambassador Hardt also commended the graduates’ push to become better. Chosen to formally launch the BeMAN programme, the diplomat said that USAID decided to collaborate with the centre on the programme because of the effectiveness and quality of the previous joint initiatives.

USAID has been associated with the Roadside Baptist Skills Training Centre for the last 10 years and collaborated with it on a number of initiatives. The centre also served as a training hub for the One Laptop Per Family Programme.

Adult education and skills training services are also provided by the centre to the community, including remedial education, summer enhancement programmes, reading and writing skills and library services.

The BeMAN programme, in addition to addressing domestic violence, also seeks to conduct sessions with teenage and adult males on conflict resolution, and quarterly, to engage 150 in-school males on gender roles, anger management and healthy relationships.

The 153 graduates completed training in the following programmes: information technology (IT); English; Mathematics; Human Immune-Deficiency Virus (HIV) peer education; domestic violence; and counselling.