$186M Hinterland Students’ Dormitory commissioned at Liliendaal “Education is now moving on the correct path,”-President David Granger

Jul 16, 2019 News

---

President David Granger said, yesterday, that the education system in Guyana is now moving on the correct path and is being accorded the highest priority.

He was addressing the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs commissioning ceremony of the $186M Dormitory for Tertiary Hinterland Students, at Liliendaal, East Coast Demerara.
President Granger said that more than $170B has been expended on education over the past four years, emphasizing that spending in the education sector has moved from 14.8 % of the national budget in 2014 to 17.0 % in 2017.
The President said that the establishment of the tertiary education dormitory which can accommodate 120 students is affirmation of Government’s commitment to improving educational opportunities for hinterland students.
He added that it also reflects Government’s intention to ensure a more equal society by reducing the disparities between the hinterland and coastland through education.
He noted that the Government of Guyana wants to ensure that hinterland residents can enjoy similar public services such as birth registration, business registration, public education, public health, public infrastructure, public security and social security as citizens on the coastland.
He added that the new facility will ensure a more conducive environment for hinterland students attending the University of Guyana and other tertiary institutions.
President Granger reported that the government’s investment in education is due to the fact that it has recognised that education is a great equalizer. While he noted that education is the key to unlocking increased economic opportunities for citizens, he further dictated that it is the best path that should be followed when empowering and listing persons out of poverty and marginalization.

He said that Guyana’s education policy emphasizes the three ‘A’s – Access, Attendance and Attainment. Today’s commissioning adds a fourth ‘A’ which is Accommodation, he added.
The President said that accommodation is being boosted by improvement at the student level. Dormitories have been constructed at 19 locations in nine regions. These dormitories, he said, allow more hinterland students to benefit from educational services.
Access to education for hinterland students is being facilitated through the provision of Government-supported scholarships which provide opportunities for hinterland students to enjoy secondary and tertiary education.
He explained that the Ministry of Indigenous Peoples’ Affairs has increased the number of hinterland scholarships from 120 in 2014, to 186 in 2018.
Hinterland students also have been among the beneficiaries of the 1,599 tertiary-level scholarships offered by the Department of the Public Service since 2015.
Minister of Education, Dr. Nicolette Henry noted that the new dormitory will contribute in a large way to making Guyana a better place. She said that the facility will provide tremendous opportunities for those students whose geographic locations limited their chances of pursuing their dreams of higher education.
She said that the building is in alignment with the government’s vision of making education more accessible and affable to disadvantaged, vulnerable and traditionally marginalized groups.
Minister of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Sydney Allicock, said that the new facility comes under the Hinterland Education Support Programme.
He said that the dormitory will allow for additional human resources in technical fields such as agriculture, medicine and engineering. Minister Allicock said that the government has embarked on the Green State economy for a good life and that through education, Guyana will realise that dream.
Minister within the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Valerie Garrido-Lowe, said that the dormitory will allow for economic and social transformation of indigenous communities. She said that the government has been allocating more resources towards human capital development to train more indigenous youths in various academic areas.
According to Minister Garrido-Lowe, the 215 hinterland communities across Guyana have been waiting to show what they can do given the access to resources and this dormitory is a step in that direction.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Indigenous People’s Affairs, Mr. Alfred King noted that the dormitory will allow students at the secondary level to pursue higher education.
He said that the project was well justified and was officially completed on March 3, 2019. He said that the facility has internet access provided by the eGovernment Department and in a few months will be equipped with a hub which will facilitate an eLibrary.
The building was dedicated by the Retired Reverend. Charles Davidson, Bishop of Guyana who also blessed the President on his 74th Birth Anniversary celebrated yesterday.

 

 

---

---