Education key to escaping poverty
–as disbursement of education grant continues

MINISTER of Culture, Youth and Sport Dr. Frank Anthony on Wednesday joined the Education Ministry in distribution of the “Because we Care” cash grant at Lancaster Secondary and Lusignan Primary Schools on the East Coast of Demerara.

During his remarks, Minister Anthony emphasised that the Government is interested in the continued promotion of education and this is evident in the programmes being initiated. He explained that over the years the education sector has been the recipient of the Government’s investment in the construction of new schools around Guyana. He noted also that this effort is intended to ensure that every school-aged child has access to an education.
Dr. Anthony noted that the education sector has seen not only an improvement in infrastructure, but schoolchildren are provided with exercise books and text books, hot meals, vitamin-fortified biscuits and fruit juice and also uniform vouchers.
He acknowledged that “The projects undertaken by both the Government and the Education Ministry have resulted in Guyanese students doing exceedingly well at the CSEC and CAPE examinations.” He told parents that this year, Ms. Elisa Hamilton – a Queen’s College student– not only topped Guyana but topped the Caribbean as well.
“There is no doubt that Guyanese students can do well; however there is a need for parents to spend more time with their children,” the minister posited. He encouraged the parents, both fathers and mothers, to be more involved in their children’s education. Additionally, the minister told parents that regardless of their locations, he is confident that they could achieve tertiary education and be successful.
In this regard, he emphasised that this is where the payback, from their children’s education could be had. He further added that parents should want better lives for their children than what they had.
Minister Anthony reiterated that education is the key to escaping poverty; that was a philosophy of the late Dr. Cheddi Jagan.