More than 33 schools to be commissioned in 2026

– Gov’t focused on delivering universal education

More than 33 new schools are slated to be commissioned this year as the government continues to focus on delivering universal education to every child in Guyana.

The figure was provided by Minister of Education Sonia Parag during her guest appearance on the ‘Starting Point’ podcast on Friday.

“Just from the ministry alone, 33 or more will be commissioned in 2026, and that is to tell you that the investment that we have been making in the last five years has borne fruit,” Minister Parag stated.

She added that significant resources have been directed towards closing longstanding gaps in access to education, particularly in hinterland and rural communities, where students often had to travel long distances or remained at home due to the lack of nearby schools.

Overcrowding has also been reduced as new facilities come on stream.

Minister Parag added that Guyana is now close to achieving universal access at the nursery, primary and secondary levels, with continued progress at the tertiary level.

Beyond infrastructure, the education minister pointed to targeted social investments aimed at improving school attendance.

One such initiative is the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, which was introduced to ease the financial burden on parents while ensuring children remain in school.

She said the government intends to increase the grant and introduce a transportation allowance during its new term to further support families and improve attendance.

Another initiative to ensure that every child has access to education is offering eight Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects for free to all students taking the exams.

She noted that school attendance has since improved, particularly at the secondary level, with dropout rates declining and more students writing CSEC examinations.

Minister Parag said these measures are designed to create a more educated population aligned with Guyana’s national development goals.

“It’s all about ensuring that we have a more educated population. We want to produce children who are going to fit into our national development, and we are ensuring that we take them to that point,” she stressed.

The minister noted that around 90 per cent of teachers are now trained.

She said all remaining teachers are either in training or enrolled in programmes, moving the sector steadily towards the goal of 100 per cent trained teachers.

Minister Parag added that teachers are not required to pay for their training, underscoring the government’s commitment to strengthening the education system at every level.