$94.4B allocated to further improve access to quality education

With a strong focus on providing equitable access to quality education, the government has allocated $94.4 billion to the education sector. This is an increase to the sector from the $72.8 billion allocation in 2022.

“Government remains committed to its manifesto’s promise of increasing access to education for all including universal, primary, and secondary education, increased access to tertiary education and technical and vocational education, and erasing quality across the entire system.”

This was announced by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance, Dr Ashni Singh during the presentation of Budget 2023.

This is in keeping with its aim of ensuring that Guyanese are equipped with the skills that are needed in today’s economy. Government will be rolling out a new curriculum to close the learning gap, created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We recognised that curriculum reform is a key component of delivering quality education. We have worked on developing new curriculum for nursery and primary levels. We will be rolling these out in 2023 and providing training on their implementation.”

The heavy focus on the education sector has reaped success, which is indicated by significant increases in the pass rate at critical examinations.

For the Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE), Guyana’s pass rate is now 93.22 per cent from 90.86 per cent in 2021.

There was a 100 per cent pass rate in 35 units, while in another 28 units, there was a 75 per cent or higher pass rate.

Similar increases were recorded for CSEC with a 68.5 per cent pass rate in 2022 from 66.36 per cent last year.  A total of 10,368 candidates wrote this year with 62,990 subject entries.

Infrastructure

As government recognises that schools in the hinterland and riverain areas pose peculiar challenges, it remains committed to providing a quality learning environment for all students.

As such, a comprehensive school mapping exercise has been launched and is expected to be completed in the first half of 2023.

The mapping exercise will clearly detail specific infrastructural enhancement needs for individual schools at all levels.

The results of this exercise will inform immediate and long-term interventions.

For 2023, educational facilities will be constructed, maintained, and upgraded including those at Hosororo, Patentia, Orealla, Prospect, Good Hope, North Ruimveldt, Yarrowkabra, and Diamond.

Construction will also commence for facilities to house the displaced students of St George’s High and Christ Church secondary schools.

This allocation is in keeping with the government’s five-year Education Strategic Plan (ESP) 2021-2025-Vision 2030.