Roll out of $3.2B education cash grant begins next week
Education Minister Priya Manickchand
Education Minister Priya Manickchand

DISBURSEMENT of the government’s ‘Because We Care’ cash grant will commence from next Thursday, July 15, 2021, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Education on Saturday.
“The Because We Care Grant is valued at $15,000 this year and the School Uniform and Supplies Grant is valued at $4,000, giving a total of $19,000 for each child in the public education system,” the press release indicated.

It explained that approximately 172,000 students have been earmarked as beneficiaries of the programme, bringing the overall cost to $3.2 billion which will go directly towards children and families across Guyana. Unlike last year, the School Uniform and Supplies Grant will not be given in the form of a voucher, but rather, in cash.
“The schedule for distribution will be posted on the Ministry of Education’s Facebook page, the ministry’s website and in the Sunday, July 11, 2021 and later editions of the daily newspapers,” the ministry said.

As part of the cash grant, each child in the public education system will benefit from a total of $19,000

It indicated too that the parents or guardians of children in the public school system from nursery to secondary level are to visit the respective schools on the scheduled date to uplift the grant. “If a parent or guardian fails to uplift the grant on the scheduled date, they will be allowed to do so at a later date at the Department of Education for that region or education district,” the statement assured.

This later date, according to the ministry, will be announced at the appropriate time, but will be after the entire exercise has concluded. To this end, parents are encouraged to make every effort to uplift the cash on the scheduled dates.
Parents or guardians are asked to walk with a valid form of identification when going to uplift the grant. The acceptable forms of identification are the National Identification Card, Driver’s Licence or Passport.

Persons who do not possess any of these documents can still uplift the grant, but their relationship with the child must be confirmed by a senior official in the community or the school’s headteacher.
The Ministry of Education said that it aims to serve each child before September 2021, when the new school term begins.
“This initiative of the Government of Guyana is to provide assistance to families so that they can provide the necessary resources to their children, so that they cannot only remain in school, but to also excel in their studies,” the ministry said.

It further committed to increasing the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant incrementally each year until it reaches $50,000. The School Uniform and Supplies Grant was increased last year from $2000 to $4000.
“We encourage all parents and guardians to uplift the grants and use it in the best interest of their children as we work together to give those who will be the leaders of tomorrow the opportunity to be the best that they can be,” the ministry concluded.

The “Because We Care” grant was initiated by the People’s Progressive Party Civic (PPP/C) government prior to demitting office in 2015. The programme then, saw the issuance of $10,000 per child in the public school system.
The programme was implemented with the aim of providing support to parents with school-age children and increasing their disposable incomes, with a view to increasing school enrolment and attendance rates across the country.

When the A Partnership for National Unity + Alliance For Change (APNU+AFC) assumed office in 2015, the party discontinued the grant. During the lead-up to the March 2 elections, the PPP/C had promised to reinstate the programme. This has since been delivered by Education Minister Priya Manickchand and the Irfaan Ali-led government.

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