Best graduating students Saudia Raffik (R) and Karishma Narain
As employment opportunities appear to be dwindling, youths are being encouraged to strive to create opportunities for income generation. The encouragement comes from Commonwealth Youth Programme (CYP) Manager Ggenyss James.
She made the announcement at the New Amsterdam Multilateral School’s 25th annual graduation and prizegiving ceremony last Thursday. James encouraged the more than 150 students to take full advantage of modern technology to create jobs.
“Scan the web for stories of persons who turned what appeared to be hopeless situations into opportunities for making an honest living.” She said many have the knowledge and skills to join with others to determine the needs of the market, develop and market new products.
“Guyana has lots of raw materials and natural resources just waiting to be developed.”
The CYP official noted that hard work, commitment and academic accomplishments are as a result of the graduates seeing education as a critical aspect of development. She urged the graduates to explore the possibilities of developing what they are passionate about.
“So that you not only enjoy financial stability, but experience the satisfaction and joy of working in the area of your passion. Ask yourselves, ‘if money was not an issue’, what is the one thing you would love to do for the rest of your lives and begin to look for opportunities to do that very thing.”
She noted that many heard of wealthy businessmen being jailed and urged those who are about to approach the world of work to be careful of their choices.
“Professionals have reached the top of their careers only to come crashing down because of ethical issues. Good character and integrity must become one of the goals you pursue assiduously, if you are to graduate from the school of life with honours. You may be considered foolish or antiquated for your ethical and principled positions taken in your everyday lives…”
“You are graduating from high school today, but plan to graduate from life with honours!”
The best graduating Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) students were Karishma Narain and Saudia Raffik, who shared the prize jointly. The best graduating Caribbean Advance Proficiency Examination (CAPE) student was William Butts. Special awards were given to the top five students at both levels. Prizes were also awarded to the top two students in each steam and top students in each of the 52 subjects the school offered at both CAPE and CSEC.
In her report, headteacher Jackie Benn noted that over the past year, the New Amsterdam Multilateral School has excelled in a number of extra-curricular activities including cricket, football and masquerade competitions. According to the headteacher, classroom programmes were complemented by a number of field trips within and out of Region Six.
“We challenge the regional authorises to match this commitment with much needed resources we crave for, and in return, we will provide the results we know we can achieve. With such a commitment, and expedient execution, our goal index will exceed its present state.”
Benn also took the opportunity to thank the regional administration for responding to a request to construct a new building in the school’s compound.
The new building will house grade 10 students. “Much more could be achieved with the injection of additional resources in areas such as text books for per-vocational areas and CAPE subjects. Laboratory equipment… TD stools and tables, home economics equipment, industrial arts machines and equipment for agricultural science…”