The NRF Bill can provide a foundation for affordable vocational education

With the passing of the Natural Resource Fund Bill, the Government of Guyana can now implement a plan to boost post-secondary education which in turn, will provide a platform for sustainable employment for all Guyanese. The decommission of multiple sugar estates, low output of rice exports, increasing immigration and the increasing effect of the pandemic contribute to the high unemployment rates in Guyana. A renewed focus on post-secondary education would help to address some of these issues. Trade schools, usually referred to as vocational schools or technical institutions, provide hands-on training for specialized occupations. Professionals such as electricians, mechanics, carpenters, and plumbers represent traditional professions, but the list of skilled trades is long and includes high-tech specialists such as petroleum engineers, oil and gas specialist, and architectural engineers. Trade certificates can offer the same amount of income, or even higher in some cases, as a traditional bachelor’s degrees. While Guyana does have some technical institutions, we need to refocus our efforts to provide unemployed people with the opportunity to learn a trade at an affordable price. For example, the laid off sugar workers will be able to learn a new trade which will help them to find jobs and provide for their families in the long term. A severance package will only last a few months for some of these sugar workers because it is a short-term solution.

As Guyana progresses as an oil nation, the need for specialized jobs and skills are in high demand now more than ever. The new Local Content Bill, passed last Wednesday, will enable oil companies to procure the resources locally; however, it is up to Guyana to make those resources available so that they won’t be outsourced. Guyana needs to offer specialized jobs and skills in different sectors of the economy so that we can compete with the international community and immigrants. The shortest route to that goal is to offer affordable technical education institutions. Put differently, the NRF can provide a foundation for affordable education, which will help not only youths, but also other individuals from suffering industries like the sugar industry or the agriculture industry. Guyana needs productivity along with efficiency to effectively handle its oil and gas sector. Therefore, Guyana needs to provide the educational opportunity for all its citizens, and not a selected few. With more people being able to attain a higher education, the productivity of the country will increase, and in turn, so will GDP.

Sincerely,

Mohamed Rahaman