Pushing TVET and making Guyana Globally Competitive

Jun 30, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

Kaieteur News – Our energetic Head of State, Dr. Irfaan Ali, emphasized that “Technical education is not diminished education…technical education is a more practical orientation of what the country needs, what the world needs. By no ways or means are you lesser if you are in technical education.”

He was spot on and his seriousness and commitment to TVET reverberated when he made this call, while delivering the keynote address at the commissioning of a brand new $356.5 million Practical Instruction Centre (PIC) at the St Ignatius Secondary School.

Let this sink in: “According to the definition by UNESCO and the International Labor Organization (ILO), TVET refers to “aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences, and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding and knowledge relating to occupants in various sectors of economic and social life” (UNESCO and ILO, 2001). Further elaboration explains that “In addition to technical knowledge and aptitude, increasing emphasis is on “softer” skills-communication, negotiation and teamwork. TVET is dispensed in public and private educational establishments, or other forms of formal or informal instruction, aimed at granting all segments of the society access to life-long learning resources.”

So, locally, our country is really on top when it comes to global development and making the land equipped to be a major world force. Getting back to President Ali, he noted that “When you look around the world, you would see many technically-oriented persons in business, innovation, and entrepreneurship. Because once you’re technically oriented, you are naturally innovative.” These strong remarks formed part of his address he delivered to residents of Region Nine, asking them to “… to embrace technical and vocational education as a pathway to sustainable employment and success.”

This PIC in Region Nine is one of six new Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) centres that are being constructed across the country, in order to provide more opportunities for this necessary form of training nationwide. All of this emanating from the investment of some $2.6 billion that was allocated in the 2025 National Budget to enhance the delivery of TVET programmes nationwide.

Let us bear in mind that the principal objective of TVET is to train youths and adults alike, readying them for the labor market. With technical revolution and innovations in science and technology, labor market needs have significantly evolved. New challenges must be met in order to match the education proposed with vocational demands. In that regard, Guyana and many other countries are in the process of reforming their education system, with a view to training youths to meet national, regional or international market needs.

This is a fact that can be easily verified by mere observation and I want people to check on it. It is that in some fields, particularly those with high demand for skilled workers like construction and automotive, TVET graduates generally command higher starting salaries. This is not surprise as Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions have stepped up and are now playing crucial roles in driving sustainable development, economic growth, and workforce empowerment across the globe. By offering specialized training aligned with market demands and technological advancements, TVETs are instrumental in bridging the education-employment gap.

I advocate that our leaders in government continue in this trend.

Yours truly,

Raymond Anderson

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Dr. Irfaan Ali, Guyana Globally Competitive, Raymond Anderson, Technical education, TVET

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