The newly-commissioned Valmiki College for Business and Technology is aiming to equip youths with the skills needed to enter the working world.
Formerly known as the Valmiki Vidyalaya High School, located at Peter Rose and Crown Street, the college is the result of a partnership between its directors and the Jay and Sylvia Sobhraj Foundation.
Speaking at the commissioning yesterday, Principal Yogeshwar Mathoo said the vision of the partnership is to provide the future generation with skills in technology and business to allow them to easily fit into the working world after graduation.
According to Mathoo, through the partnership, the school is now furnished with a modern technology lab and a library, among other things. “Our students’ curriculum has changed and we will have courses for adults in terms computer programming, computer repairs and computer fundamentals… We will be offering classes for accounting, Peachtree data entry and computerised accountancy. The whole package will be certified,” Mathoo explained.
The skills training courses will be offered as an option to students who wish to continue studies after completing Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examinations. Adults who wish to pursue studies in the areas can register with the school.
Nardeo Singh, representing the Foundation, said that it is passionate about providing education to society since it is one of the greatest gifts. He noted that with the partnership, the Foundation aims to equip young people with skills that will make them leaders in their fields. He charged the educators to challenge students to incorporate current affairs into their lessons. This, he said, would give the students an opportunity to develop an interest in what is taking place around them and have them formulate possible solutions, leading them to develop skills in leadership.
Meanwhile, Jay Sobhraj noted that over the years the Foundation has collaborated on a number of projects locally and in the United States and the commissioning of the college is an illustration of its commitment to improving and providing students with the equipment and tools necessary for a quality education. ”We have always been passionate about Guyana and giving back to the Guyanese communities here and in Richmond Hill, New York. We see people, not race and we are very passionate about education and development. We are here to keep raising the bar higher by providing a better environment for education,” he related.
Another representative of the foundation, Sravan Kumar Budhu, stressed the importance of students having an encouraging learning environment and hoped that in a year they will be able to completely upgrade and modernise the classrooms at the school.
Among the special invitees at the commissioning ceremony were Governor of the Bank of Guyana Dr Gobind Ganga, former Commissioner of Police Seelall Persaud, Georgetown Mayor Ubraj Narine and others associated with the work of the organisation and the school.
