SINCE the return and relaunch of the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant, some Opposition politicians have been critical of the $19,000 being given to parents/guardians of each child within the public school system. 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. When the party returned to office in August 2020, it opted to not only reinstitute the programme but improve the per child allocation to $19,000. As it is, a total of 172,000 students have been earmarked as beneficiaries, bringing the overall cost of the programme to $3.2 billion.

Recently, in addition to the confirmed beneficiaries of the grant, there are parents and guardians of private school children who welcomed the government’s decision to at least examine the possibility of extending the grants to children attending private institutions. In making the announcement, Vice-President, Bharrat Jagdeo had pointed to the fact that many parents were able to put forward solid arguments as to why their private school child/children should also be given the grant. Some of those persons also spoke with the Guyana Chronicle.

On Sunday, the Guyana Chronicle decided to reach out to several parents, some of whom are beneficiaries of the grant as well as parents with children who attend private schools and are hoping that they too receive the nod to benefit from the good gesture of the government.

“For a whole week during this pandemic my daughter didn’t go to school because I wasn’t working and didn’t have money to send her to school, and she miss a lot. Then I’m using my neighbour Internet to do the work on Zoom and if I don’t get the Internet, the two small ones haven’t gotten a chance to go to class.

I am grateful; I can’t wait to get it just to get the uniforms, and stuff. But I’m praying that school does open because I don’t want to spend the money to buy the uniforms with it and then school doesn’t open.”

“I struggle a lot because I can’t work [due to an injury from a boat accident] and it is hard to get income. This means a lot to me because it could help my daughter throughout the school [year] and to help buy things for her; her school clothes, pencils, books, erasers, crayon and things like that. I am thankful to the government for helping us in this situation; to help out with our children and their needs. The money that they are giving out is helpful because where are we going to get it from? We can’t get it anywhere. It’s good.”

“I think it’s a wonderful initiative. When we’re coming to school to do marking of the worksheets and so on, you would hear the parents talking about it, and they were all excited. I am also excited for it. I think it would be really, really good, and as the minister said, you decide what you do with that money, so you determine how best you can help your child. Some people have lost a lot, so this definitely would come in handy.”

“All my money I does invest in them. I don’t have a job, this man (her husband) does bring in the money. Every single dollar, I does spend on them. I don’t stress on myself too much. I does work hard and [I don’t] really want them to work so hard like me. Me want to do something to keep me going with them children because they’re not easy to support every day, them daddy don’t be at home all the time, just me and them.”

[Richards plans to utilise the monies to not only purchase school supplies, but to invest in the start-up of a business to further support her children.]

“It [the cash grant] is going to be a great help to the parents… never mind children have working parents, it is still so hard at times, because if the children have school work like printing stuff and getting textbooks and it will now come into great use for that.

“But some parents can’t afford personal items for their kids, other than school items. They have some kids that are not too fortunate and they will be happy to get something proper other than just with their school needs. Some parents may need internet, some may not need internet [but] they may need a proper meal for their kids. It’s just such a great help and for me I’m just excited.”

“It’s really beneficial to us, because at this time, I know there are a lot of parents who are going through a rough time; everything has been costly on us…I am really very thankful about this…they have kept their promise.”

“I am elated to be a parent receiving this cash grant. We may have a house and we may have a piece of land, but it doesn’t mean that we can provide for our children and can afford text books and so. This is going to add to the pot; it is a helping hand, especially in the country areas [that] are now being hard hit by the floods. I am grateful.”

“I’m a single parent with three children going to private school. Their father put them in this school and leave me almost three years now. I usually go in the bush to work to pay school fees and rent. Sometimes I even owe the school; it’s very hard but the children doing very good at this school, and I’m scared to move my children to a public school. So, this would be a great help for my kids and I’m sure there are more single parents like me out there that this programme will help in so many ways. We got to buy books, school uniform, shoes, and the list goes on. I can go on but I think you understand what I am trying to say.”

“It’s hard as a guardian to know that my nephew contributes to the many successes that the Education Ministry can boast about, and yet, he cannot be a recipient of the cash grant because he attends a private institution. Is he only counted when it comes to the accolades and other achievements? The small gestures like that goes a far way and that would be good if they [the government] actually go through with it [extending the grants to private school students].”