Mahdia Gold's CEO Allan Zakir makes a symbolic presentation to Commissioner of the Guyana Geology and Mines Commission Karen Livan.

Guyana is drawing a step closer to developing home-grown skills for its thriving mining sector with the launch of a mining school next month.

Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment Robert Persaud on Monday said they were aiming to launch the institution, to be be located in Linden, by the end of September. The first batch will be drawn from persons already in the sector.

“We will start from a very basic level and we will be reaching out to the sector and companies and depending on the type of programmes we have, then go directly to the companies themselves so they can send their employees to use that as the first cohort and then we take that out to the next level,” he said.

Instructors, Persaud added, will be drawn from professionals in the sector including from overseas as he pointed out that the large companies mining here depend heavily on overseas expertise.

“What we’re doing is collaborating with these companies so when these experts come in to do their work we will structure the programmes so they will also be there.”

The curriculum for the school is still being developed with assistance from the College of the North Atlantic and the Marine Institute in Canada.

The school is being bankrolled initially by the government and there is a starting investment of some GUY$35M but Persaud added that they will be looking to see how the sector can play a larger role in the school’s operation.

He also raised the possibility of the school becoming a private initiative with government having an oversight and quality control role.

“It is long overdue and we’re not waiting on the ideal, we want something that is functional and then we build on that,” Persaud said.

Mahdia Gold Corp., the Canadian company restarting production at the Omai site, on Monday handed over four computer systems to the ministry for the school.

The company’s Guyanese-Canadian CEO Allan Zakir said they will supply all of the school’s computers – between 20 and 30 – and electrical equipment.

Persaud also threw out an invitation to other companies to get on board and support the school.