— says Education Minister, Priya Manickchand

THE Ministry of Education commenced the distribution of the ‘Because We Care’ $10,000 cash grant to parents of students of secondary schools in Georgetown, and some $67M were distributed at ten centres.At some of the schools on the West Bank of Demerara — Versailles Primary, Goed Fortuin Nursery and the Shirley Field Ridley Nursery schools, parents gathered to uplift their grant from the Government were treated to

steelband music, two renditions from the West Demerara Secondary School Choir and a song from the pupils of the Goed Fortuin Nursery School, called “Carry your Candle.”

During brief remarks, Education Minister, Priya Manickchand informed the large gathering of the tremendous success the MoE has had in distribution of the grant thus far. She noted that the MoE has almost completed the distribution, and that the parents being served at the West Demerara Secondary School represent the final recipients in Region Three.

Minister Manickchand noted that while some persons have said that the Ministry should be giving parents more than $10,000, “it is really meant to supplement your families’ income.”
“We know that it would not meet all your needs, but it will certainly meet some of your needs, and it will certainly be more than you could have met last year,” she added.

Members of the public have expressed concerns that some parents would inappropriately utilise the Government’s ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, and have opined that the grant should have been given only to selected families, or perhaps similar processes as those that obtained in the Uniform Voucher programme should have been used.

Minister Manickchand has, however, said that while the concerns are legitimate, the Government had to consider the many other parents who would welcome the additional finances to help their children.

The Education Minister reiterated her admonition to parents to continue to invest in their children, and to make the necessary sacrifices so that their children can become adults who can meaningfully contribute to Guyana and the world.

“Our duty as adults, as a Government, is to ensure that our children have the opportunities we never had, what we couldn’t do…,” she said.

The ‘Because We Care’ $10,000 cash grant programme was launched on October 11, 2014 in Bartica. More than 55 public consultations were held, at which it was examined 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 encashing were the preferred option, which service would parents prefer to use to be able to encash their vouchers.

Choices ranged from the commercial banks to Mobile Money to Western Union/Bill Express to the Post Office to Moneygram.

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 shall be made.

Distribution continued at 11 locations in Georgetown on Saturday, November 8, which completed the distribution of the ‘Because We Care’ $10,000 cash grant vouchers in Georgetown. Parents are reminded that vouchers should be en-cashed at any Western Union Office before November 30.

(Rebecca Ganesh-Ally)