EDUCATION Minister Dr Henry Jeffrey said Friday that to succeed in this modern world one has to be competitive.
“You have to be able to stay abreast of what you are doing," he stressed at the 29th annual graduation of New Amsterdam Technical Institute (NATI) in Berbice.
Jeffrey said NATI emerged the best among three such institutions with more than 80 per cent passes but statistics show that 60 per cent of Guyanese children operate at about three years below their average grade and 80 per cent of the youths, between the ages of 17 and 25 years, are functionally illiterate.
Consequently, if parents do not take an active part, children are not going to be successful with their education.
The Minister said every effort is being made to improve the system and Government has introduced a National Council to assist with technical and vocational education.
Jeffrey also encouraged the graduates to work together and make Guyana a more prosperous land.
NATI ‘Student of the Year’ award went to Shemona Babb, who completed a course in radio and electronics servicing and the ‘Ramphal Memorial Cup’ to Amit Singh, who was coursed in Agricultural Machinery.
Of the 215 students on roll, 213 were tested in the 19 courses offered and 183 were successful.
Acting Principal Lorna Sancho, in her annual report, disclosed that the infrastructural and maintenance works at the school were done by students and she also complimented the staff on making the ceremony a success.
District Education Supervisor for Secondary Schools, Mr. Basheer Khan told the graduates it is a giant step to move from one level to another, the world of school to a world of work.
"It is a time of discovering for yourself how well you can function as an individual or as a team," he said, admonishing the young people to apply what they have learnt in a positive way and continue learning while portraying a positive image of themselves.
Land Court Judge John Persaud, who chaired the proceedings, observed that there is a greater need for youths to accept the challenges which lie ahead.