The dismantling of Guyana’s Community High School system under successive People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) administrations continues to draw criticism, with educators and stakeholders arguing that political shortsightedness and vindictiveness eroded a vital pillar of formal learning for thousands of children.
Community High Schools were established in 1973 under the People’s National Congress (PNC) Forbes Burnham government, during the tenures of Education Ministers Winifred Gaskin and C. L. Baird, who guided the development of this tier of education from 1964 to 1980.
The schools were intended to expand access to secondary education while integrating practical and vocational subjects, equipping students—particularly in rural and working-class communities—with employable skills alongside academic instruction.
By the late 1990s and into the 2000s, the system began to be dismantled when Community High Schools were progressively converted into general secondary schools. This transition occurred under PPP/C governments, coinciding with education reforms that prioritised academic pathways and reduced emphasis on structured technical and vocational training within the formal school system.
The closure and conversion of Community High Schools stemmed not from evidence-based planning but from political hostility toward programmes linked to previous PNC administrations. A proven system that combined academic learning with practical skills was abandoned without replacement, leaving generations of students trapped in an increasingly exam-centred system that fails to prepare them for the real world. During this period, the education sector was overseen by a succession of PPP/C education ministers, particularly from the late 1990s under President Bharrat Jagdeo. Observers argue that none of these ministers displayed the intellect, strategic vision, or institutional competence of earlier leaders such as Gaskin and Baird, whose policies were carefully aligned with national development needs. Instead, the sector was marked by weak leadership, short-term thinking, and a failure to safeguard the quality and purpose of education for generations of Guyanese children.”
The long-term consequences of these decisions are now being felt across the economy. Employers repeatedly highlight skills shortages in technical, manufacturing, and industrial fields—areas once directly supported by Community High Schools.
Observers say the pursuit of universal secondary education came at the expense of meaningful vocational preparation, weakening the link between schooling and employment.
These concerns were reinforced on Wednesday when the Guyana Manufacturing and Services Association (GMSA) stated that technical and vocational education is a critical driver of Guyana’s manufacturing, engineering, and industrial growth, particularly under the country’s development agenda outlined in Budget 2026.
Speaking at a GMSA press conference, association member Peter Pompey pointed out that opportunities now exist for young people from age 16 to access technical and vocational training programmes, many offered free of charge. He urged young people to pursue these pathways, describing them as essential to the country’s industrial future.
“Our young people should gravitate towards technical and vocational training because it will become the bedrock to propelling the very industries that we are talking about,” Pompey said.
Pompey added that the creation of high-quality jobs remains central to sustainable development, noting that engineering and manufacturing hold exceptional potential to transform the economy and uplift citizens. He said these sectors offer one of the fastest routes into the middle class through stable employment and long-term security.
Education analysts argue that the dismantling of Community High Schools reflects a deeper failure of governance, where political vindictiveness and the desire to erase the contributions of predecessors were allowed to override national interest.
They contend that Guyana’s experience stands as a cautionary example of how partisan politics can undermine institutions, weaken human capital development, and leave lasting damage on generations of children denied the opportunity to learn skills once deliberately built into the education system.
