Basseterre, St. Kitts, February 12, 2014 (SKNIS): The Ministry of Education is on track in ensuring that students at the Advanced Vocational Education Centre (AVEC) receive high quality technical training as upgrades to the school continues.
“AVEC is quickly becoming a centre of excellence for technical training,” said Minister of Education Hon. Nigel Carty at his recent visit to the institution.
Accompanied by other education officials, the Minister was able to assess the significant upgrades being made to the institution. There, he noted that his Ministry plans to provide additional materials, tools and equipment for the technical drawing lab, the automotive engineering centre and the woodwork centre as “these are critically important to support the development of skills among young people so that they can become well trained technicians to service all areas of the country.”
“We have to develop a critical mass of people who can render services in those areas…,” stated Minister Carty. “…We need to make sure we provide people with the opportunity to develop skills in these particular areas.”
The Minister added that he was pleased to see the young students engaged in construction, automotive engineering and technical drawing as it shows progress towards Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET).
“That is why we are very proud to support the work that is ongoing there [and]building new spaces,” he revealed. “We are going to expand the construction lab to ensure that we have more space for more equipment for more training to accommodate more students,” he said.
AVEC provides an alternative for many of the Federation’s young people to learn a skill.
Upgrading the institution goes along with the Ministry’s plans to ensure that students are equipped with technical skills through TVET.