TWO West Demerara secondary schools on Wednesday benefited from President David Granger’s Five Bs Initiative aimed at providing boats, buses, bicycles, breakfast and books to schoolchildren.

Patentia Secondary benefited from a school bus and a public address system, while L’Aventure Secondary received equipment for its Home Economics department. Also, over 100 bag packs and bicycles were distributed to children of Wales Estate workers.

Minister of Social Cohesion, Amna Ally, delivering the feature address during the handing-over ceremony, praised the companies which contributed to the 5Bs Initiative. GAICO Construction and General Services Incorporated donated the bicycle and public address system. The school bus was donated by Mr Radish and Mr. Muneshwer, while the book bags were given by Starr Computer.

Minister Ally in her address explained that the programmes aim at reducing poverty, inequality and providing a good life for all.

The minister further explained that access to education should not be seen as a privilege for some, but as a basic human right for all

“Education is a key social and cultural right and will play an important role in reducing poverty, as well as promoting democracy, eliminating gender inequality, improving health, fostering peace, tolerance, development and sustained economic growth throughout Guyana,” she added.

The initiative has so far yielded over nine boats, which serve the lower and upper Pomeroon, Baracara, Ebini, Moraikobai and areas within Demerara. Hundreds of bicycles have been distributed within the 10 regions.

The minister noted that a total of 11 buses have been commissioned, while the government plans to expand the project later in the year to provide books and breakfast.

“Over the past year, we have been working with corporate partners to ensure that simple means such as lack of or limited access to transportation does not impede students from attending school,” Ally added.

She further pointed out that the Government will remove barriers to educate and provide sufficient access to education in ways that will ensure that all children benefited from some such opportunities and making education accessible is the first step.

“ I envisage a Guyana where statistics will show that all children regardless of their geographic location or economic circumstances are regularly attending school and drop out rates are significantly reduced” the minister added.

She emphasised that education is the new currency by which nations maintain economic competitiveness and global prosperity and urged that investment in education is very critical to one’s country or nationwide.

“Education is no longer just the pathway to opportunity and success, but [a] necessary prerequisite to achieving the good life for all Guyanese and only education can liberate people, open the doors to a prosperous future,” Ally stated.

The Minister of Social Cohesion, in ending her remarks, stated: “Our children are the future, Our actions today will determine their world of tomorrow, we must overcome the challenges that impede the development of our children, so that we can achieve a sustainable development, robust and unified socially cohesive nation.”