Nine Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination students from the Port Mourant Secondary School in Corentyne Berbice were the recipients of grants of up to $30,000 each in the inaugural grant disbursal ceremony hosted by the Small Business Bureau of the Ministry of Business.
Port Mourant Secondary School is one of 15 schools chosen from across the 10 administrative Regions to participate in the Small Business Bureau Pilot “In-School Entrepreneurship Programme”.
The “In-School Entrepreneurship Programme” has two components to actualize viable business plans through School Based Assessments (SBAs) which students have already been working on. The components are: “Future Boss – Aspire to Inspire Sessions” and the Grant Allotment.
Technical Staff from the Small Business Bureau visit each of the participating schools to conduct “Future Boss” sessions with fourth and fifth form students.
For one period during a selected subject time the Bureau’s staff engage the students on the benefits of entrepreneurship, help students to identify business opportunities based on community needs, identify opportunities for funding and share requirements for setting up a business in Guyana.
The second component of the project will see the allotment of up to $30,000 in grant funding for 100 students from across Guyana to fund their School Based Assessment (SBA) projects in subject areas such as Principles of Accounts [POA], Principles of Business, Home Economics, Agriculture Science and Building Technology. The students are usually asked to simulate or manage a business of their choice within the POA syllabus while Agriculture Science students are required to manage farms (plants and or animals).
The aim of the “in- school Entrepreneurship Programme” is to provide support to less fortunate students while promoting entrepreneurship as a means of economic empowerment. This initiative is expected to complement Government’s drive to promote entrepreneurship and business innovation among Guyana’s youth.
The students who were awarded grants are Davashnie Sugrim, Michelle Adrian, Rakjumarie Rampersaud, Yoshoda Mahabir, Mohesha Narine, Shabina Narine, Kevin Henry, Delicia Sarmentoo, and Alicia Ramoo.
All grants are expected to be disbursed by the end of November.