March 4No. 5/10-G CDB PROJECT TO ENHANCE TECHNICAL AND VOCATIONAL EDUCATION IN GUYANA A workshop organised by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Guyana, will be held on March 16 and 17, 2010, to formally launch a project aimed at enhancing technical and vocational education in that country. On April 27 2009, CDB and the Government of Guyana signed the project loan agreement for the sum of US$ 7.5 million. The loan will assist with the achievement of two major objectives: to increase access to quality TVET programmes, and to enhance the capacity of the TVET system. These objectives are to be achieved through the Construction of two technical institutes, and through institutional strengthening activities designed to enhance the capacity of persons and programmes at various levels in the system. There will also be a focus on the enhancement of capacity to provide the requisite services, including project management and Construction supervision. Under the quality enhancement aspect of the project, two new technical institutes will be constructed in Regions 3 and 5, regions that are currently without such facilities. The new facilities will each accommodate approximately 200 full-time students. Arrangements will also be made to facilitate part-time training opportunities for persons who are employed. These new institutes will be fully equipped to accommodate nine specialist tech/voc programmes, determined on the basis of needs and existing technologies in industry. A technology lab will also be provided at the Guyana Technical Institute to support an existing programme of technical teacher training and, given the poor state of equipment in the existing institutes, equipment will be provided at three of those sites. The institutional strengthening component of the project will focus on enhancing the capacity of the relevant personnel to manage TVET systems and processes. It will provide a 10-year national strategic plan and a five-year operational plan for TVET across the country. It includes the provision of training for both technical and administrative staff in TVET institutions. There will also be the preparation of programmes for continuous training and development of TVET staff to improve their pedagogical and managerial capacity. This component will also include the development of a standards-based curriculum, as well as an occupational competency assessment and certification system. These activities are all expected to contribute to the development of an institutional framework that will permit the coherent development of the TVET sub-sector. The workshop is scheduled to take place at the Pegasus Hotel in Georgetown, and will be facilitated by CDB personnel. They will guide members of the Project Management Unit and other key persons who will interact with the project on CDB's processes and procedures necessary for the smooth execution of the project.