The development of human capital

Dec 16, 2014 Letters

DEAR EDITOR,
His Excellency President Ramotar must be complimented for stressing, while reflecting on his first three years in office, that “the most important factor for development is our people” and that the main goal of his government is “the development of human capital”.
Such assurances are like music to the ears of professionals in the field of Human Resource Development; therefore we applaud and take comfort in all such statements coming from the highest office in our country.
It is opportune to remind ourselves that the effective development of human capital is not limited to the acquisition of academic Knowledge and technical or vocational Skills; it must also include the necessary elements of proper Attitude such as respect and good human relationships, honesty, courtesy, discipline, punctuality, regularity, dedication, self-development and above all, work ethic.
The curricula of our teaching, training, learning institutions must include the KSA tripod (Knowledge + Skill + Attitude) of Human Resource Development with equal if not greater emphasis on the attitudinal and behavioral aspects. Admittedly, it is not easy to ‘teach’ these; they are best imparted and learned through exemplary behaviours which must start from the top. In this regard, our politicians, community leaders, teachers, parents and all managerial/supervisory personnel have a collective responsibility to project the best role models in our society.
Furthermore, we must create and sustain an enabling and encouraging environment for human resources to thrive. The so-called “human capital” is not the same as physical or financial capital; human beings are sensitive creatures who operate from innate drives, mental stimuli, inner motivations, societal norms and environmental factors, all of which act as enablers or obstacles of growth and development.
No matter how many billions of dollars we pump into ‘development’, we cannot achieve much without ALL of our people being identified with and being made to feel that they are integral parts of the development processes, projects and programs. In this regard, demonstrated even-handedness, equitable recognition and reward, exemplary practice of the principles of meritocracy, avoidance of capricious behaviours and objective adherence to established laws and conventions are critical enablers for the development of human capital.
Nowrang Persaud

Discover more from Kaieteur News

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Latest News