At a graduation ceremony held at the UWI Five Islands Campus on Thursday,
some two hundred and fifty-two persons graduated, after completing courses being
offered through the University of the West Indies Five Islands Campus Life-Long
Learning Unit (LLU).
Among the dignitaries in attendance were the Governor General, His Excellency
Sir Rodney Williams, and Foreign Affairs Minister, E.P. Chet Greene, who
sponsored courses for several of his constituents.
Head of the LLU, Paula Lee, said the ceremony marks a continuation of the
learning revolution now taking place in Antigua and Barbuda with the advent of
the UWI FIC.
“There is easier access to professional development training, a wider variety of
courses that are ideal for current and emerging sectors and industries are being
offered, access to studies through the Harvard Credential of readiness is available,
customized courses are being created and more scholarships will become
available,” she told the audience at the university’s auditorium.
She added that across the Caribbean LLU’s are making an impact. “We have
stirred a yearning for knowledge, a desire for improved skills, and a heightened
interest in gaining credentials. In 2021, LLU’s were an idea, now they have
become the reality,” she declared.
Among the graduates, was a group of students who are inmates of His Majesty’s
Prison who pursued studies under the prison’s ‘Seeds of Hope’ programme
initiated by the Prison Superintendent, Lt. Col. Trevor Pennyfeather. One member
of this cohort, Omari Philip, was the group’s valedictorian. He scored an average
of 93 percent in his courses on Crisis and Risk Management. Another member of
the cohort, Sylvester Lindsay scored 100 percent in the final exam for the course.
The other participants in the programme averaged over 75 percent.
Philip said despite the hardships and challenges, the members of the cohort
persevered, and they would welcome the opportunity to be able to put into practice
the knowledge they gained on re-entry into society. According to Philip, the
courses have taught him a valuable life lesson.
“The programme has taught me that no matter where you are from or what
mistakes you may have made, we all have the potential to create positive change. I
have also learned to stay away from crime and peer pressure,” he stated.
Meanwhile, registration for the LLU courses for 2024 begins on November 15.
