The GOAL phenomenon keeps delivering

Oct 05, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

I note from the press that “Since its inception in 2021, GOAL has awarded more than 39,000 scholarships across certificate, diploma, Bachelor’s, postgraduate, Master’s, and PhD programmes, reflecting its continued commitment to expanding access to education and skills development nationwide.” And now what do we have? Again, from the press, I see that “The Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) has officially launched its 2026 scholarship intake, offering thousands of Guyanese the chance to pursue higher education and skills training through fully funded programmes supported by the Government of Guyana.”

This is absolutely commendable, and anyone who misses out on this most timely input from the Government of Guyana has only him/herself to blame.

For one, (and we can research it for ourselves) it is that education, in any form, is expensive worldwide, especially in countries like the U.S., China, and Switzerland for international schools, and in the U.S. for public university bachelor’s degrees. High costs are driven by rising tuition, increasing living expenses, and ‘government underfunding’ and all of this shift the costs to students. While some countries offer relatively affordable options, the overall trend points to a global increase in the cost of obtaining a quality education, particularly at the technical and tertiary level.

Secondly, (and this information is readily available), it is that global education spending is rising but still remains insufficient, with a significant funding gap of $97 billion annually for low- and lower-middle-income countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, according to reports by the World Bank and UNESCO and World Bank. While high-income countries spend over $8,500 per learner annually, low-income countries spend only about $55. A lack of efficient spending, debt servicing, and shifting donor priorities have contributed to this underinvestment.

I think I have emphasized how valuable GOAL (Guyana Online Academy of Learning) is to Guyana, especially at this crucial juncture.

I further advise that we respond to the reality that skills training holds significant value in today’s world, as it closes workplace skill gaps, improves employee performance, morale, and retention, and boosts company productivity and competitiveness. For the actual beneficiaries, it leads to greater career opportunities, increased earning potential, enhanced confidence, and personal growth. Overall, skills training fosters lifelong learning, strengthens workforce adaptability to technological changes, and creates benefits for employees, employers, and the wider economy. It is indeed a win-win situation, and the same can be said of higher academic education.

Editor, thousands have reaped success from GOAL since its launch back in 2021. Thus far, the programme has awarded more than 39,000 scholarships across certificate, diploma, Bachelor’s, postgraduate, Master’s, and PhD programmes, reflecting its continued commitment to expanding access to education and skills development nationwide. I recall when GOAL was launched and flocked by the populace, opposition from the ‘usual suspects’ came a-plenty. Mind you, these dissenting voices collectively suggested no alternative, nor when they had the opportunity, initiated anything. Maybe they should ponder how with GOAL ongoing, Guyanese, irrespective of location, are having equal access to quality tertiary education and from a diverse set of academic programmes.

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