Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Human Resources Development Convention, 1975 (No. 142) - Guyana (Ratification: 1983)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Formulation and implementation of education and training policies and programmes. Coordination with employment. The Committee notes the policy document developed by the Council for Technical and Vocational Education and Training of the Ministry of Education (TVET Council) for the period 2011-21, which is attached to the Government’s report. The Committee notes, however, that the policy document has expired, and that the Government indicates that it is currently developing a new TVET policy. The Committee further notes the information provided by the Government on the number of participants in the different vocational guidance and training programmes made available by the Government. In that regard, the Government reports that the TVET Council trained 8,846 persons in Guyana between 2018 and May 2023, of which approximately 40 per cent were women. The Government adds that, in 2022, 119 students were registered for the Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) programme, available in eight schools across Guyana. Moreover, the Government indicates that it allocated 488.5 million Guyana dollars to the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), which is responsible for the apprenticeship programmes within the industrial sector, to ensure the training of 7,890 persons in 2023. The Government further reports that, during the period 2019–22, over 281 persons with disabilities benefited from the BIT's programmes. In addition, the Government indicates that, in 2022, the BIT collaborated with the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs to train 440 persons from hinterland communities through the Youth Entrepreneurship and Apprenticeship Programme (YEAP). Furthermore, the Government reports that the Guyana School of Agriculture (GSA) trained 274 persons in the period 2020-22, of which 50 per cent were women, and is expected to train 238 more persons in 2023. The Government also reports that the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) attributed scholarships to approximately 21,442 persons between 2021 and 2023, with women comprising 75 per cent of recipients. Lastly, the Government indicates that the Technical Institute of the Trinidadian and Tobagonian National Energy Skills Center (NESC Technical Institute) signed statements of intent with three Guyanese technical institutes with a view to collaborate in addressing labour training needs in Guyana. The Committee notes, however, that the Government’s report does not contain the requested information on the impact of the different vocational guidance and training programmes in relation to the participant’s access to lasting employment, especially in rural areas. Noting that the policy document communicated by the Government has expired in 2021, the Committee requests the Government to provide updated information on the adoption of a new policy of vocational guidance and training, closely linked with employment, as provided in article 1(1), of the Convention, and to indicate how the lessons learnt from the previous policy fed into the new policy. The Committee also requests the Government to continue providing updated and detailed information, including statistical data disaggregated by age and sex, on the number of participants to the different vocational guidance and training programmes made available by the Government. The Committee further reiterates its request for information on the impact of these programmes, in particular in relation to the participants’ access to lasting employment, especially in rural areas.

Article 1(5). Coverage of specific categories of workers. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in relation to the vocational training of specific categories of persons in its report on the Convention and in its report on the Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140). The Committee takes note of this information, which addresses its previous request.

Youth employment and training. The Government reports that 13,860 young persons participated in the National Training Project for Youth Empowerment (NTPYE), benefiting from training in various subjects such as electrical installation, fire safety, leadership, and more. Additionally, the Government indicates that over 100 young graduates participated in the Agriculture and Innovation Entrepreneurship Programme launched in 2022 with the aim of encouraging young people to pursue careers in agriculture. The Government further highlights the establishment of a President’s Youth Advisory Council, facilitating youth engagement with the Government on various topics such as education. The Committee notes the Government’s indication that no study assessing the programmes' impact on the employability and employment of the young persons that benefited from them has been carried out. The Committee refers to its comment under the Unemployment Convention, 1919 (No. 2), in which it takes note of the persistently high levels of youth unemployment in Guyana andrequests the Government to continue to provide information on the measures specifically taken to promote and guarantee access to vocational guidance and training for young persons. The Committee further reiterates its request to provide information on the results achieved by these measures in terms of increasing the employability and employment of young persons.

Persons with disabilities in employment and training. The Government reports that, during the period 2019–22, the BIT registered over 281 apprentices with disabilities. However, the Committee notes that the Government does not provide information on measures specifically taken to promote and guarantee access to vocational guidance and training for persons with disabilities. The Committee recalls that article 1(5), of the Convention provides that the “policies and programmes [of vocational guidance and vocational training] shall encourage and enable all persons, on an equal basis and without any discrimination whatsoever, to develop and use their capabilities for work in their own best interests and in accordance with their own aspirations, account being taken of the needs of society.” The Committee also recalls that paragraph 5(h) of the Human Resources Development Recommendation, 2004 (No. 195), calls on Members to promote access to education, training and lifelong learning for people with nationally identified special needs, such as persons with disabilities. The Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide information on the specific measures adopted or envisaged to promote and guarantee access to vocational guidance and training for persons with disabilities. The Committee also reiterates its request for information, including statistical data, on the impact of such measures on the employment of persons with disabilities.

Women in employment and training. The Committee notes the Government’s reference to article 19F of the Constitution, which guarantees every woman equal access to academic, vocational and professional training alongside men. The Government indicates that this constitutional provision supersedes ordinary law, including Section 3(1) of the Industrial Training Act, which refers only to male apprentices (boys). The Government adds that, notwithstanding the wording of Section 3(1) of the Industrial Training Act, the BIT has seen a significant increase in the number of women participating in apprenticeship programmes. The Government reports that, in the period 2020–22, the BIT registered 5,936 women apprentices, representing approximately 69 per cent of all apprentices for that period. The Government also indicates that, in 2022, the BIT collaborated with the Guyana Energy Agency, to train 200 women (including women with disabilities) in the building and maintenance of solar photovoltaic equipment. Moreover, the Government indicates that the BIT piloted several programmes of the TVET Council which have seen a greater participation from women as opposed to men. Some 70 per cent of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships have been attributed to women. The Committee welcomes the increase in the participation of women in the vocational training programmes made available by the Government. However, the Committee notes that the Government does not provide information on specific measures adopted to promote the equal opportunities and treatment of women regarding their access to vocational guidance and training, as required under Article 1, paragraph 5 of the Convention. The Committee also notes that, in its concluding observations of 30 July 2019, the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women expressed concern with regard to: (a) gender and ethnic disparities in enrolment in technical and vocational education and the absence of such training centres in some regions and, (b) continued gender disparities in subject choice in higher education, with low enrolment of women and girls in non-traditional fields of study, such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics (document CEDAW/C/GUY/CO/9, paragraph (paragraph 35(c) and (d)). In view of the above, the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide information on the specific measures taken or envisaged to promote equality of opportunity and treatment for women and men regarding access to vocational guidance and training in all branches of economic activity and at all levels of skill and responsibility. In this regard, the Committee reiterates its invitation, initially formulated in its 2022 comments under the Paid Educational Leave Convention, 1974 (No. 140), for the Government to consider amending Section 3(1) of the Industrial Training Act to explicitly refer to both women and men apprentices.In addition,the Committee reiterates its request to the Government to provide information, including statistical data, on the impact on women’s employment of the measures taken to promote their vocational guidance and training.)

Article 5. Cooperation with employers’ and workers’ organizations. The Government indicates that, in accordance with Section 3(2) of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act No. 11 of 2004, the members of the TVET Council are “nominated by organizations including professional organizations, industry, commerce, employers and labour”. The Government indicates that this provision is strictly adhered to in practice, ensuring representation of both employers’ and workers’ organisations on the TVET Council. The Government adds that it is currently developing a new TVET policy in collaboration with these organisations. The Committee notes that the version of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act which is available on the website of the Parliament of Guyana differs from the version of the Act provided by the Government with its report, including regarding Section 3(2) on the constitution of the TVET Council. The version available online provides in relevant excerpts that the members of the TVET Council include “two persons representing bodies established to promote the interest of members of the teaching profession [and] two persons representing bodies espousing the interests of employers”. Therefore, the Committee requests clarification from the Government regarding which version of the Technical and Vocational Education and Training Act is in force and applies to the constitution of the TVET Council.The Committee also requests the Government to provide detailed information on the manner in which the involvement of the social partners is ensured in the formulation and implementation of the new vocational guidance and vocational training policy.