Guyana is well-set to soon achieve universal secondary education

Nov 23, 2025 Letters

Dear Editor,

Carpe Diem! ‘Seize these opportunities with both hands’ was a timely caption for the news report that showcased events at the recent graduation ceremony for students of Christ Church Secondary. “Speaking on behalf of President, Dr. Irfaan Ali, Minister Kwame McCoy told the packed auditorium that the moment was far bigger than a graduation ceremony, describing it instead as a celebration of resilience, renewal and national transformation.” For me, it went even bigger, as I thought of where Guyana is in terms of achieving Universal Secondary Education.

I remind all that Guyana is very close indeed to achieving universal secondary education, and the government’s aim is for completion of this by mid-2026. Thus far, the country has made noticeable progress via its multi-faceted approach, even though some challenges still remain, and may never be fully attained (Misconceptions about TVET: The stereotype that technical education is less valuable than academic education still needs to be overcome; Social issues: Persistent social issues like violence against children can impact school attendance and performance; Delays: Some construction projects for new schools have experienced delays, pushing back deadlines).

However, the bottom line is that Guyana has come a very far way and is well-positioned to meet its goal of universal secondary education in the near future.

Some really good high points need mentioning: Infrastructure development, as dozens of new schools have been built or upgraded; Teacher training, where the percentage of trained teachers has increased significantly, and in fact, the Ministry of Education in on course to soon realise that all teachers will be either fully trained or in training; Curriculum integration, where the curriculum has been updated to include more technical and vocational education and training (TVET) to equip students with relevant skills; and I add things like cash grants, free textbooks, and school feeding programs.

Editor, there is no need for me to get into the details of the ‘rebuilt Charlestown, at a cost of some $940.7 million, as it is symptomatic of the on-going progress educationally in Guyana. Suffice to say that the facility is quite modern, “… being equipped with 20 classrooms; eight specialised laboratories; an ICT hub; a fully furnished library; an auditorium seating almost 400 students and infrastructure designed with stronger safety standards and the demands of a changing world in mind.”

As McCoy pointed out, President Ali, for whom he substituted at the graduation, is all about “… the government’s forging ahead in education, empowerment and enlightenment,” as the President himself has committed “has committed that by the end of 2026, every Guyanese child who wants to complete secondary school will have that chance,” and that by the end of 2025, “100% of teachers will be in or under training, because when our educators grow, every child in their classroom grows.”

Readers, Universal Secondary Education is a must. It encapsulates “… the provision of free and equitable access to quality secondary education for all individuals, regardless of their background.” It is a global goal, and listed under the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, involving “…. expanding and reforming secondary education systems to include historically marginalized groups and ensuring all youth and adults have the skills to participate in society.” So far so good, and I feel very optimistic that Universal Secondary Education is imminent in Guyana

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