State-of-the-Art Skills Training Facility Commissioned at Bartica Secondary School
By Antonio Dey | HGP Nightly News
Bartica, Guyana – The Ministry of Education has unveiled a brand-new Practical Instruction (PI) Department at the Bartica Secondary School, marking the sixth facility completed under the Guyana Skills Development and Employability Project (GSDEP). The initiative is transforming the way young people in Guyana are prepared for careers in the workforce.
Speaking at the commissioning ceremony on Wednesday, Education Minister Priya Manickchand emphasized the facility’s role in empowering students with both academic and technical skills.
“Children can now learn motor repairs, commercial food preparation, furniture making, welding, and masonry,” Manickchand stated. She also noted the inclusion of computer training and IT development programs through an on-site resource center.
Similar training hubs have already been launched in Fellowship, Hopetown, Betterverwagting, and Saraswa, each offering modern, hands-on learning environments to support skill-based education.
Constructed by KP Thomas & Sons and supervised by SAMCO Engineering, the Bartica PI center is a purpose-built training facility that cost G$273 million, with an additional G$87 million spent on tools and equipment, bringing the total investment to over G$360 million.
The GSDEP is supported through a US$14.04 million partnership between the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the Government of Guyana. Funding includes a US$11.7 million loan, US$552,000 in grants, and US$1.79 million in local counterpart contributions.
The facility features:
- A commercial kitchen with professional culinary equipment
- A motor vehicle workshop with hydraulic lifts, digital wheel alignment, and tools for car and heavy-duty machinery maintenance
- A welding room with MIG and acetylene tools
- A furniture-making lab with high-grade saws
- Masonry and plumbing workshops with tile cutters and concrete vibrators
- A smart classroom with computers, a smartboard, and the Saruk internet for digital learning
Minister Manickchand noted that while the world increasingly debates the value of skills versus degrees, Guyana is ensuring that young people have access to both.
