Latest update February 10th, 2025 2:25 PM
President keen on seeing Guyana reach ‘developed’ status
Backed by fervent rhetoric by Government officials outlining plans to ensure that
President Donald Ramotar and Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, in the company of some of the beneficiaries of the $10,000 Cash Grant
Guyana remains along a developmental path, the recently introduced Cash Grant initiative, which falls under the purview of the Ministry of Education, continued on Thursday in the Region Nine locale of Lethem.
Delivering a passionate address to a large turn-out of residents who gathered under the St Ignatius Benad, Head of State, Donald Ramotar, firmly asserted that “I’ve seen our country grow…and I believe that we have the possibility in our life time to see our country develop.”
But in order to achieve this development, he noted that there is need for new infrastructures, many of which have already been streamlined by Government. He however, noted that the ruling administration has been grappling with what he described as “tremendous resistance from the opposition.”
Nevertheless, he noted that Government will remain committed to the people even as he pointed out that like many other programmes implemented by Government, the Cash Grant is intended to help alleviate financial pressure faced by far too many parents.
The President posited that the Government has in many ways tried to take the pressure off parents by providing other measures of support including snacks, hot meals, student accommodation, text, and exercise books.
Like his appeal made at other Cash Grant distribution sites, the President told parents to seek to give their children, at least two things, “Roots and Wings”. He explained that children need to be taught values, integrity, respect and appreciation for others, and be given the freedom to grow and develop their personality and own capacity. He therefore called on parents to send their children to school, adding that “we want to ensure that our children have a better life than we had…whatever little sacrifice has to be made must be made.”
And accessing good quality education is certainly not a difficult task today, as according to Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand, who also addressed the Region Nine residents, there have been significant improvements in education, not only on the coastland, but also in Amerindian communities.
She reminded the gathering of the recent launch of the Hinterland Education Improvement Programme (HEIP), where focus will be placed on further improving education delivery in the hinterland districts. Teacher training, administrative improvement and the alignment of curriculum to the cultural aspects of Amerindian communities, are all aspects of the Programme to improve education in the hinterland. “The future of education for you is bright …we have plans to make this better than it actually is now.” Minister Manickchand said, as she noted that the proposed plans are expected to yield results within the next five years.
And according to Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, who accompanied the team to Lethem, there is no denying that the education system has evolved. She intimated to an attentive audience that while back in the day she was unable to attend secondary school because there was none, children today have every opportunity to do so. The Foreign Affairs Minister hails from the Santa Rosa, Region One area.
Speaking of a number of initiatives implemented to ensure the provision of secondary education to Amerindian communities, Minister Rodrigues pointed to the Hinterland Scholarship Programme which was started in the 1960s by former President, Dr. Cheddi Jagan. She highlighted that this programme has since expanded to include the construction of dormitories in Region Nine, Georgetown and other Hinterland communities.
The minister also spoke of the recent implementation of the Portuguese Curriculum which, she added, will help Guyana to improve its relations with Brazil.
By the end of the Cash Grant distribution on Thursday, more than $12 million dollars were distributed to families. The Cash Grant initiative is one intended to cater to the schooling needs of children who attend the various levels of public schools – nursery, primary and secondary.
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