National Awards
Hello Boys and Girls,
This week you will learn about National Awards and Honours. What do you know about National Awards? I am sure that you may have seen or heard of students from your school or other schools or even adults receiving prizes or special tokens such as trophies, medals, certificates, badges or other kinds of recognition for doing very well or for being outstanding at school or national examinations, sports, Mashramani competitions or any other competitions. Well, these special tokens given in recognition for excellent work can be referred to as awards. These awards are usually given out at special ceremonies. For example, most schools have prizegiving ceremony to honour their students for excellent performance. At the national level, the Ministry of Education honours and give awards to outstanding students at its National Awards Ceremony which is held annually. Would you like your name to be on the next list of students to receive awards at the school and national levels? Sure you would! Well, make sure you stay focused and give your best to your studies and one day you may receive an award for outstanding work.
In Guyana, National honours and awards are official tokens given to show the high respect and appreciation the government believes people, groups or organisations deserve for earning the recognition of the public for their valuable service, their hard work, their patriotism, their courage, their brave deeds or their long service.
Any citizen of Guyana regardless of his/her position in life, society or occupation may receive a National Award; even a non-Guyanese. However, eligible persons must be dedicated and consistent in giving exceptionally high quality service which will lead to national development in their area of service, which may include:
- Health - Education
- Religion - Business
- Medicine - Social work
- Arts - Sports
- Agriculture - Science
- Culture - Technology
Force, Disciplined Services (The Guyana Police Force, Guyana Defence Prison Service and Fire Service)
2. The Order of Roraima is the second highest National Award. It is given to Guyanese for outstanding service to the country or to any noble and respectable citizen of another country who has rendered sterling service to Guyana or whom for other reason the state may choose to honour. He/she may become an honorary member of the Order of Roraima
Members of the Order of Roraima are entitled to have “O.R.” placed after his/her name and to wear as decorations on appropriate occasions the insignia and the ribbon of the Order of Roraima.
3. The Order of Service is the third highest National Award and it is given to citizens for high quality of service to nation-building. Within the Order of Service are three general awards and three special awards. The Cacique’s Crown of Honour is one of the general awards. We shall learn about this and other awards next week.
Goodbye boys and girls, please use the extra time you have at home to revise all the work you have been taught. Stay safe and be happy!