Latest update November 23rd, 2024 1:00 AM
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Govt distributes more than $110 million Cash Grant in Linden
In excess of $110 million was distributed yesterday when the Ministry of Education
Minister of Education with children of the One Mile Primary School at Bay Rock Community Centre.
continued its $10,000 Cash Grant Distribution in Linden. The distribution, which occurred at 12 locations, saw more than 11, 000 children in this instance being able to benefit.
Parents who received the grants on behalf of their children attending public schools flocked to locations including the Bamia Primary, MacKenzie Primary, Amelia’s Ward Primary, Coomacka Primary, Linden Foundation Secondary, Bat Rock Community Centre, New Silver City Secondary, Harmony Secondary and Wismar Hill Secondary Schools.
Addressing the crowd of parents at the BayRock Community Center, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, implored parents to keep their children in school and be interested in their lives.
She noted too that since every parent wants what is best for their children, what Government has been aiming to ensure is that “they can live a life that is better…, that they have more than you had, not just more things, but a richer, more comfortable life, foster and maintain better relationships…I am saying to you that more is possible for your children.”
Parents applauded the recommendation that should the ‘Because we Care’ $10,000 Cash Grant continue next year, it should be given on the condition that children attend school frequently, perhaps having an average percentage of attendance at school for a given school term. She admonished parents also to use the grant wisely. “Your children’s education should be your first priority,” she added.
“Guyana has a reason to be proud of this programme,” Minister Manickchand said, stressing that it is the only country in the Caribbean offering financial support to every child and not children selected based on economic or social conditions.
Minister Manickchand also added that the Cash Grant programme is another initiative aimed at giving parents additional support to equip their children for school.
Parents have until November 30, 2014 to en-cash their vouchers at any Western Union or Bill Express location.
The cash grant initiative was announced by Minister of Finance, Dr Ashni Singh, during the presentation of the 2014 National Budget.
As explained by the Minister of Finance, this programme is meant to provide more support to parents with school aged children and increase the disposable income of parents with school aged children with a view to raising enrollment and attendance rates. This is in fact the first programme of its kind in the Caribbean or anywhere else in this part of the world where every public school child is entitled to this benefit.
“Cognizant of Article 13 of the Constitution of Guyana, which recommends inclusionary democracy and because of the Government’s deep commitment to making decisions based on the desires of the people of Guyana, the Ministry of Education engaged in consultations all across Guyana to hear from Guyana’s parents what systems they believe would serve them best.”
More than 55 public consultations were held where the questions were examined as to whether parents would prefer to be able to receive cash or exchange a voucher for goods in the manner that the uniform voucher programme is currently operated; and if en-cashing were the preferred option, which service would parents prefer to use to be able to en-cash their vouchers (choices ranged from the Banks, Mobile Money, Western Union/Bill Express, the Post Office, Money Gram).
Almost unanimously parents chose to receive cash as opposed to goods and an overwhelming majority chose to be able to en-cash at Western Union/Bill Express money services. Where, geographically, there is a limitation of financial services different arrangements are in place.
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