But she urged that Government put measures in place to stop the rapid turnover of teachers.

She was speaking at the National Cultural Centre last Monday when QC held its annual prizegiving, with entertainment including an Indian dance, a scene from the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’, renditions by the college choir, a violin solo and a skit.

Some 300 students received prizes at the function where retired Major General Joe Singh reminisced on his days at QC when he delivered the charge.

Reflecting on that time, he said he is humbled by the thought that 46 years ago he was one of those persons who attended the institution.

But he said, whatever he might have achieved over the years can be attributed, in no small measure, to the integrated learning experiences and friendship that were the features of his alma mater.

Mr Singh recalled that the focus then was on “a sound mind and a healthy body” and the curriculum was broad-based, inclusive of academic learning in the arts and sciences and an appreciation for art, sculpture and music as well as involvement in sports.

QC students were also engaged in scouting and had a Cadet Corps, Tour Club, History and Debating Society, Drama Society, Bee-keeping Society and several other groups, among them the Chess and Photographic clubs.

Singh said the college was noted, too, for active participation in national and regional competitions, soccer, rugby, tennis and cricket tournaments and track and field events.

He quoted from then Prime Minister Forbes Burnham’s address on the occasion of Guyana becoming a republic in 1970, when the distinguished graduate of QC and Guyana scholar said:"Every year, youths are rebelling and rejecting the culture of their parents and are seeking to create for themselves sub-cultures to replace existing ones. Fortunately, for us in Guyana, the youths of our country do not manifest the rapid signs of disaffection. But this nation cannot sit idly by and quietly hope that the Good Lord will protect us from the problems that bedevil other country."

Singh remarked that, while they were said 32 years ago, the words are prophetic today, judging from the current evidence in society.

"Serve fellow human beings in a unselfish humbled and dignified manner, respecting persons from all stations and circumstances in life.

"Charge your way forward, study hard, play hard and enjoy your time. It will not return," he admonished the students.

Singh told them to be imaginative and courageous enough to test new ideas, experiment and discover with inquiring minds that know no limit.

"You need to be intellectually and psychologically prepared for a stressful, real world," he emphasised.

Pointing out that crime and politics are the two major features in local newspapers, Singh said he hopes some brilliant scholars will, in time, but hopefully very quickly, find an antidote to counteract “the political diarrhoea that seems to be a permanent feature of my generation."

Complimenting the prizewinners and the cricket team, for holding its course on the National Under-19 Cricket Competition, he wondered whether their packed agenda did not rob them of time for extra curricular activities.

He remembered attempting to resuscitate the QC Cadet Corps in the late 1980s and discovering, to his horror, that the students who were eligible to participate in the training had no free time, because they were saturated with extra lessons, literally from morning until night.

Singh said he thought it was a pitiful situation and asked:” When will these students have time to discover themselves and enjoy their youth?"