– supporting the CSEC schools golf program
Over the past week, the plans to implement golf in secondary schools nationwide under the aegis of the Allied Arts Unit at the Ministry of Education and Guyana Golf Association made a great start, as the program rolled out. in Berbice, Georgetown, Linden and Essequibo, prompting the head of Nexgen Global Group of Companies, Aleem Hussain, to announce plans for the third of a series of golf courses his company plans to build this year as it continues to expand the game of around the country.
“During the visit to Anna Regina High School to equip and meet Education officers, we identified the location on the Essequibo Coast, and expect that with the revolutionary design and layout of the course, we can get the facility fully operational before the end this year, ”said Hussain.
“This is in addition to the other two golf facilities we plan to build at Linden and Berbice,” he explained.
The Guyana Golf Association’s goal of having as many as 6,000 new players in the coming years is realistic, given that Guyana has around 100,000 students in the school system (57,000 in secondary schools alone); and with the involvement of parents, the game has the potential to reach heights, thus creating the demand for more play facilities and courses.
Hussain has said he intends to build at least 8 golf facilities, as his unique design for the new golf courses requires less than 15 acres of land, thereby allowing them to be built closer to highly populated areas . Maintenance costs will be significantly reduced, making the game more affordable and accessible to anyone interested in learning and playing golf.
Allied Arts Unit administrator, Ms Lorraine Barker-King, said it is extremely exciting that Guyana will be making history when, for the first time, our children can use golf as a sport option in PE and Syllabus sports for CSEC and CAPE.
“This opens up a world of opportunity for our children, especially in light of the impact COVID has had on sport, and Mr Fraser is showing excellent initiative in ensuring we offer viable alternatives for them in sport.
“This partnership with Mr. Hussain and the Guyana Golf Association are definitely one that will change the way our country views the sport, and we will do everything possible to ensure its success. ” Ms Barker-King has said.
The current pilot program will see six schools selected by the Ministry of Education: Anna Regina Secondary; Richard Ishmael Secondary; Queen’s College; President’s College; The Berbice Educational Foundation, and Wisburg High School, begin teaching Golf immediately, and in August, the remaining CSEC schools will roll out the program nationally, to maximize the opportunity for students to learn the game.
The aim is to train the PE teachers of these schools to become golf golf master instructors in all other schools.
Nicholas Fraser, head of the PE Related Arts Unit, has an MBA specializing in Sports Management, and is no stranger to implementing new programs, having held many senior positions, including Assistant Director of Sport at the Sports Commission National, among others. He said, “Golf has the potential to become a major sport in the school program based on the response of teachers and students to date, and the fact that it is a COVID-19 compliant sport. Many activities are planned for the school golf program, with competitions for inter-classroom, inter-school, inter-regional and national championships scheduled for 2021. ”
Despite the personal challenges he faced many years ago, Hussain has been the driving force behind the development of golf in Guyana, and has proven that adversity brings out the best in everyone, especially when one has the desire to succeed.
As President of Guyana Golf Association and Nexgen Golf Academy, Hussain is also considered one of the country’s top golf players. He has performed well in tournaments in Barbados, Trinidad, Suriname and Costa Rica, and aims to use his skills and determination to ensure that a national team is created to take part in international events leading up to the Olympics.
So far everyone, from the CEO of Education to the Regional Education Officers, Headteachers, PE teachers, and especially the students, has responded well to including the sport in the schools curriculum, as seen in the smiles and responses from DHM Cordel Sealey of Wisburg High School; HM Ms Micheal; Anna Regina High School HM Laljeet Ruplall, and DHM Raghunaught Doodnaught; District 2 Regional Education Officer Nichola Matthews, and District 2 Area Education Officer (in charge of secondary schools) Deodat Singh, when they met with Hussain and Fraser during the induction process.