HAVING completed distributing the ‘Because we Care’ $10,000 cash grant in most of the regions, the Ministry of Education (MoE) is now preparing to service the few remaining communities before it ends this first cash grant distribution.

The process has been mostly seamless, considering the magnitude of the task undertaken by the Government through the Ministry of Education to deliver this $10,000 cash grant to parents of almost 200,000 children in the public school system. Education Minister Priya Manickchand, in her remarks to parents and guardians at the Covent Garden Secondary School, East Bank Demerara, noted that the past six weeks have been smooth and have been marked by order, civility and efficiency.

Minister Manickchand also reiterated that local statistics as well as international reports written about the country show that Guyana is doing better as a country; and that, she said, is why the Government of Guyana can invest in giving parents the additional support.

“We are able to give $10,000 as a grant this year because our country is indisputably doing better. It is a fact…our economy is going better, we can better spread our resources and reinvest it back in you…. We care about your families’ welfare.”

The ‘Because we Care’ $10,000 cash grant was distributed at 10 locations across the East Coast and the East Bank of Demerara, and approximately 7,671 children benefited.

Thursday, November 6, was the final day for the distribution of the grant in Region 4 (East Bank and East Coast Demerara), and distribution was expected to be completed in Georgetown by today, Saturday November 8.

The MoE wishes to report that parents from the following administrative regions have received their ‘Because we Care’$10,000 cash grant thus far: Region 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and Region 10. Distribution is expected to be completed in most of these regions by the end of this week. The remaining regions are expected to be serviced by November 23.

The ‘Because we Care’ $10,000 cash grant programme is meant to provide more support to parents with school age children, and increase the disposable income of parents with school age children, with a view to raising enrollment and attendance rates.

This is, in fact, the first programme of its kind in the Caribbean, and indeed anywhere else in this part of the world, where every public school child is entitled to this benefit.
Parents have until the November 30, 2014 to encash their vouchers at any Westen Union or Bill Express location.