Over $5B investment in Regions Six, Ten education sectors

Within three years, the government has invested more than $5 billion to increase adequate access to educational opportunities in Regions Six and Ten. 

President, Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali has announced that over $3 billion was pumped into the education sector in Region Six, while $2 billion was exhausted in Region Ten.

Speaking at separate forums in both regions recently, President Ali pointed out the shameless $578 million that the previous government spent in five years to support education across East Berbice Corentyne.

“Worse than that, the hundreds of millions of dollars that your children got in their pockets without oil revenue was taken away from them. In the last three years, we have invested in this region, more than three billion dollars in education,” the head of state noted.

He stressed that development is about focus and understanding what is good for the people. And that is exactly what the previous administration lacked; the Guyanese leader underscored.

“It is about understanding how to build opportunity by investing in infrastructure, people, and resources,” he stressed.

Additionally, President Ali highlighted the reintroduction of the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant in 2020, which saw hundreds of registered school children benefitting.

In 2023, the grant was increased from $25,000 to $35,000, coupled with the $5,000 for school uniforms and other supplies. The support ensured each school child received $40,000.

Through these investments and policies, the government aims to increase the quality of its human capital and ensure that education is provided to all citizens at a level that is competitive both locally and globally.

Some other initiatives include the distribution of the education cash grant, construction, and expansion of educational facilities, training of teachers, distribution of textbooks, and the national school feeding programme, among others.