This week is a time of anticipation and uncertainty for thousands of our young people, as they anxiously await the release of the results of the CSEC and CAPE May/June exams of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC).

The results were released to the various Ministries of Education around the region yesterday, Monday, August 14 and they will be available to candidates online on Friday, August 18.

Of course, there are those who have very clear goals and have mapped out the pathway to achieving them. Many of these will be the high flyers, some of whom will be celebrated and featured in our newspapers in the upcoming weeks.

But many more are unsure about their next move and wonder if they should attend an institution of higher education or enter the job market.

Whichever path they choose, there will be tremendous competition, despite the increased opportunities for young people under the Education Revolution and the work attachment initiatives such as the YES and SET programmes.

The competition is perhaps greatest among those students seeking to move from secondary school to the Technical and Vocational Division of the St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Community College. The programmes offered in this division are considered by children and their parents as enhancers of one’s chances of employment or even self-employment. And although the numbers accepted into the Technical and Vocational Division have increased tremendously over the years, some students seeking entrance will sadly be turned away.

Consideration should therefore be given to further upgrading the technical institutes attached to secondary schools around the country to make them satellites of the Division of Technical and Vocation Education of the SVGCC. The Division’s highly valued programmes will therefore become accessible to more of our students at centres closer to where they live.

To all students, seek guidance as you make decisions about your next step. Hold open and honest discussions with your parents and mentors about your aspirations and what you are passionate about. Speak with employers and professionals about the human resource needs of the country. Do any of these needs intersect with your interests? Don’t get trapped in a box that meets with your parents’ or society’s approval, but will make you miserable for the rest of your working life.

All the best for the upcoming school year to all students and teachers.