‘Our children’s future is bright’
Swarsattie Gobin
Swarsattie Gobin

– Contented parents praise timely education cash grants

AS day two of the Government of Guyana ‘Because We Care’ cash grant disbursement continued in Region Six, (East Berbice-Corentyne), parents expressed gratitude for the assistance given by the President, Dr Irfaan Ali administration.

They contended that the future of education for their children is not only bright, but promising.
Swarsattie Gobin, 44, of Fifth Street, Tain, arrived at the Tain Primary School on Wednesday with a beaming smile as she collected her two envelopes with $30,000 each.

Like many other parents, she believes that the resources government is providing and the investment made towards education will ensure that their children have access to quality education, and ultimately a successful future.

Chitranie Baksh-Ramsanol

“I must thank the President and the Minister of Education [Priya Manickchand]; they right fuh name it ‘Because We Care,’ ‘cause only a caring government will do this for the people.
“As a parent, I can’t afford to buy textbooks and for them provide that to children and for them to provide money to buy uniform and school stuff, it will help a lot.

“I feel is a good time to be growing up; all the opportunities are here. And this will make it so much easier on parents, and in years to come we will see a generation of successful children.
“I believe [that] because of what the government is doing, I see my children having a bright future,” Gobin explained.

She added: “In our time, we didn’t get opportunities like this. We had to struggle and get stuff, but now, it’s available and it will go a long way”.
For Chitranie Baksh-Ramsanol, being a single parent and having two children, ages 12 and eight, and sending both to school is challenging. She said, however, that the annual cash support being provided by the government has helped her tremendously.

She explained that the money will purchase the most important items needed for the school term.
“I will go next week and buy the main things like bags, shoes, and uniform, and whatever is left, I will save it to use when school open.

Kevin Anthony Darlington

“I don’t have a job, so my mother would [help] me with the children; and with whatever I get from public assistance, we make use. So, I am very thankful for the extra support. I don’t know how I would get money to buy the children things if it wasn’t for this,” Baksh-Ramsanol expressed.

Meanwhile, Kevin Anthony Darlington, of Glasgow Housing Scheme, collected his cash grant on Tuesday. He commended the initiative by the government while noting it comes at a good time and will provide much-needed assistance to purchase school supplies for his children.

Jagdeo Ramotar is a father of four children, ages three to seven, who lost his home to a fire in December 2020.
The disaster rendered him and his family of six homeless. Since then, the situation has been a major challenge for his family.

Ramotar, who currently resides at Port Mourant and works as a chef, related that the money collected will provide each of his children with their school uniforms and additional resources needed.
For him, it is one fewer thing to worry about. As such, Ramotar is grateful for the assistance, and is eagerly looking forward to be able to access the grant when it increases to $50,000.

Jagdeo Ramotar

He added: “This will be of good, good help for the family; things been very hard since the fire. We lost everything for them [sic] children….”
Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha was present at the Corentyne Comprehensive High School in Port Mourant and at the Tain Primary School, where he urged parents to utilize the money for its intended purpose.

He posited that government would continue to invest in citizens, while urging that education is pivotal to the society’s growth as it remains the foundation for a successful future.
He added that there are many other opportunities provided by the government in the education sector, including the scholarship programme.

Minister Mustapha urged persons to utilize the opportunities available. He noted that with a sound educational background and the right qualification, persons are at an advantage to get better jobs.
“Within the next five years, 20,000 scholarships will be made available for Guyanese; take full use of these,” he urged.

A parent collecting the education cash grant on Wednesday at the Tain Primary School

“Government is making that possible free-of-charge. The way the world is changing, without a proper education, it will be difficult to survive in a modern and developed world.
“Even the minimal jobs will be mechanized… [so] government is working to ensure that students have access to resources necessary and are trained and equipped; investment will continue into the human resources for the development of the country,” Minister Mustapha asserted.

Additionally, the Agriculture Minister, who is a former student of Corentyne Comprehensive High, made a commitment towards the school’s agriculture department. A shade house, farming tools, and poultry will be donated by the ministry.

Regional Chairman David Armogan also addressed the gathering during the distribution.
In Region Six, some 23,600 schoolchildren will receive the cash grant, while approximately $718M will be injected into the region’s economy.

Region Two Distribution
Over in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam), more than $394 million will be disbursed to parents in that region, according to Regional Education Officer (ag) Shondelle Hercules at the opening of the distribution of the cash grant at Cotton Field Nursery School.

Meanwhile at Fisher Primary School, parents gathered to uplift their cash grant. One parent Denieram Parsram said that he is very happy to receive the grant. He said that it will be used in his children’s education.
“This is a good initiative,” said a parent, Denieram Parsram. “I am glad to receive the same for my children. The government is helping parents to send their children to school,” Parsram said.

Agriculture Minister Zulfikar Mustapha addressing parents at the Tain Primary School on Wednesday

Somawattie Persaud, a mother, expressed gratitude to the Government of Guyana for continuing the cash grant, noting the increase in the cost of living.
“This money came at the right time; it will certainly be put into the right use for my children. I am thankful,” Persaud said.

The Education Cash Grant is part of the Ministry of Education’s $74.4 billion budget for this year.
The “Because We Care” cash grant and uniform voucher are part of welfare measures being implemented by the government to put more disposable income into the hands of parents and increase school attendance of learners, particularly those disadvantaged because their parents could not always afford the necessities.

The PPP, in its manifesto, had promised that by 2025, each child will receive $50,000.
The “Because We Care” project started in 2014 under the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) Government and saw parents receiving cash grants of $10,000 per child in the public school system. The programme has now been extended to private schools. (Additional reporting provided by Indra Natram)

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