President of the University of the Southern Caribbean (USC), Dr Colrick Wilson, on Tuesday urged graduates of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) to use their education to help build Guyana.
He warned that the oil wealth must be matched with strong values, competence, and integrity.
Addressing the GOAL graduation ceremony at the National Cultural Centre, Dr Wilson said Guyana is experiencing a historic period of transformation, with new revenues, infrastructure, and industries creating opportunities that previous generations could only imagine.
“Oil resources can build roads, but they cannot build character. Oil resources can fund institutions, but they cannot guarantee integrity,” he told graduates.
He noted that while oil wealth can accelerate development, it cannot replace discipline, literacy, competence, and public trust. He noted that nations can become rich in revenue while remaining poor in standards if they fail to invest in human capital.
Dr Wilson encouraged graduates to focus on contributing meaningfully to national development rather than becoming distracted by critics or social media attention.
“Guyana does not need educated spectators. Guyana needs educated builders,” he stated, adding that the country requires graduates who can write clearly, reason carefully, manage resources responsibly, and lead with integrity.
He also urged young people not to mistake online popularity for real achievement.
“A country is not built by captions alone. It is built by competence. It is built by people who can show up on time, solve real problems, and do the unglamorous work when nobody is clapping,” Dr Wilson said.
He challenged graduates to use the opportunities they have received to create opportunities for others.
The GOAL programme provides thousands of Guyanese with access to tertiary education and professional development opportunities, supporting the government’s efforts to build a highly skilled workforce for national development.