-UGSS President says

AS Guyana continues to move towards providing free tertiary education, President of the University of Guyana Student Society (UGSS), Shaquawn Gill, has commended the government’s initiative of writing off $11 billion in loans taken by students to attend the University of Guyana (UG).

Because of the massive economic and social impacts, Gill stated that free education is desired by many and deemed the government’s action as a “great step in the right direction.”

In a recent invited comment to the Guyana Chronicle, he said: “We recognise that getting towards free education means that there is a heavier incentive for people to pursue tertiary education which means …a higher skilled labour force.”

Further, while using China as an example of how initiatives similar to the ones being rolled out by the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government catapulted that nation into becoming one of the largest economies in the world, Gill stated that with the path Guyana is on, the future looks bright.

He then said: “We hope to see more initiatives like these, that makes students’ life easier, because that is the nature of the UGSS.”

“We want to continue to advocate for initiatives, programmes and policies that will make student life easier or life easier for students at the University of Guyana; not just for those that are currently enrolled, or the graduates that are benefitting now, but for the people who may be 15 years old or 16 years old, that when they come to the University of Guyana, they’re able to access not only either highly subsidised or a free tertiary education, but they’re also able to access quality education that can lead them down the path of making Guyana a burgeoning and expansive economy,” the UGSS President firmly stated.

Last week, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, announced Phase One of the government’s plan to write off the loans of former UG students.

The initiative is in keeping with the government’s manifesto commitment to deliver free tertiary education by 2025.

This first phase, Dr. Singh said, could potentially benefit over 13,000 Guyanese who have $11 billion in student loans.

“In keeping with our One Guyana vision, and in line with our party’s people-centred approach to development, and our manifesto, the government remains committed to providing free tertiary education to Guyanese by 2025,” Dr. Singh had said.

Back in December 2023, President Dr. Irfaan Ali had announced that a phased programme will be implemented to achieve free tertiary education at the country’s premier institution.

The Head of State had disclosed then that persons who currently have loans at the university will be the first group of the student population the phased approach will target.