Graduates of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme have lauded the initiative for providing opportunities to advance their education, improve their professional prospects, and access learning opportunities that were previously out of reach.
At the graduation ceremony held at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) on Tuesday, Mariah Pearson, who completed the personal and communication development programme through Amity University, described her experience as rewarding despite encountering minor challenges along the way.
“I’m trying to invest personally and professionally, so with this I’ll be able to boost my career,” she said, adding that “It’s really great for young people to be active, not only in the streets, but in their minds.”
Kenneth Edwards, who completed the professional development and personal communication certificate programme, described the experience as exciting and transformative.
“It really helped me in my professional life as well. It was a great experience,” Edwards said.
Looking ahead, he plans to continue his educational journey by pursuing higher qualifications, including a degree and postgraduate studies. Edwards also underscored the programme’s importance for indigenous communities and residents of Guyana’s hinterland regions.
“Our brothers and sisters in the hinterland have a better opportunity now that the government has initiated this programme. Opportunities that were never there before are here now, and people should take advantage of them and apply,” he encouraged.
Bachelor of Computer Applications graduate Vlysses Edwards reflected on the challenges of balancing academic commitments over the course of his three-year programme. He cited time management, consistency, and maintaining commitment as some of the obstacles he had to overcome.
Despite these challenges, Edwards described the experience as rewarding and credited the support of his classmates and colleagues for helping him succeed.
“Throughout the entire three years, it was quite an amazing journey. Programmes like these and initiatives like these are quite rare,” he said.
Edwards encouraged prospective applicants to embrace opportunities for personal growth, even when stepping outside of their comfort zones.
“You don’t know your capacity until you actually step into what you’re not comfortable with. If you’re not comfortable with something, you won’t achieve anything,” he said.
Meanwhile, Nicholas Hinds, who enrolled in the international business foundation certificate programme, said GOAL provided him with an opportunity to pursue higher education in his homeland.
Born in Guyana but studied overseas, Hinds explained that managing multiple businesses while studying presented his greatest challenge.
“Time was the challenge because I manage different businesses. It was very difficult, but I dedicated time in the mornings and at night to continue my studies,” he explained.
Hinds believes the programme is particularly significant for individuals who may not have had the opportunity to complete their formal education.
“This programme is very important for our country because people now have opportunities to complete their studies and improve themselves,” he said.
The GOAL programme continues to expand access to tertiary education and professional development opportunities for Guyanese across all regions, supporting the government’s vision of building a highly educated and skilled workforce capable of driving national development.