SINCE its inception in 2021, the Government of Guyana’s Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme has awarded fully-funded scholarships to a total of 29,785 individuals to pursue higher education.
The announcement came on Friday last, during the Ministry of Education’s year-end press conference, where the subject minister, Priya Manickchand, highlighted the programme’s significant impact on improving access to education for Guyanese citizens across the country. Manickchand emphasised the government’s commitment to increasing educational opportunities as a cornerstone of national development.

She said the government has ensured that thousands of citizens, many of whom may not have otherwise had the chance, can now access quality education at no cost.

FEMALE SCHOLARS OUTNUMBER MALES
The data shared by the Ministry of Education shows that women have taken full advantage of the GOAL initiative, receiving 21,436 of the scholarships awarded, while 8,322 scholarships went to men. Manickchand applauded the achievements of female scholars, noting that their participation demonstrates how the programme has bridged the gap for women in education and workforce readiness. She said: “21,436 of these scholarship awardees are women, some of whom are at home looking after their children. Meanwhile, 8,322 men didn’t have to leave their jobs to study. They can stay working to look after their families as they upgrade and upskill themselves.”

GROW
Minister Manickchand also highlighted the impact of the Get Ready for Opportunity to Work (G.R.O.W) programme being offered by GOAL. The GROW programme was introduced as a second chance for Guyanese who were not able to complete their secondary education or obtained less than five passes at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations and the General Certificate of Education (GCE) to matriculate to tertiary education.

“The biggest story is in our GROW students. GROW is reflected in the SCQF [Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework] Level Six and the GED [General Education Diploma]. 6,914 young people—these are individuals who were unable to finish high school or were not successful in high school. GROW is a programme we introduced so that participants can attain high school-level qualifications. Anyone that does the SCQF or GED or BFP [Bachelor Foundation Programme] would be able to finish high school and then entire tertiary education,” she explained. She stated that 1,043 individuals were awarded scholarships to pursue the BFP, and 80 per cent of those who completed the GED, BFP, and SCQF programmes have successfully matriculated into universities.

REGIONAL BREAKDOWN OF SCHOLARSHIPS
The distribution of scholarships has been geographically inclusive, with awards spread across all ten administrative regions of Guyana. Region Four (Demerara-Mahaica), home to the country’s capital and largest population centre, accounted for the highest number of recipients, with 13,002 scholarships awarded. This was followed by Region Three (Essequibo Islands-West Demerara) with 4,431 and Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaam) with 2,702. The regional breakdown is as follows: Region One (Barima-Waini) – 814; Region Two – 2,702; Region Three – 4,431; Region Four- 13,002; Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice) – 1,842; Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne) – 2,983; Region Seven (Cuyuni-Mazaruni) – 918; Region Eight (Potaro-Siparuni) – 605; Region Nine (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) – 700; and Region Ten (Upper Demerara-Berbice) – 1,761.

According to Manickchand, these figures highlight the government’s effort to ensure that hinterland and rural areas, traditionally underserved in educational initiatives, are not left behind.

SCHOLARSHIPS AWARDED BY PROGRAMME LEVEL
A breakdown of scholarships awarded by programme level under the GOAL programme reveals the following distribution: 5,602 scholarships were awarded at the SCQF Level 6, while 1,312 were given for the GED programme. The BFP accounted for 1,043 scholarships, and 7,267 individuals received funding for certificate programmes.

Additionally, 191 scholarships were granted for foundation diplomas, three for undergraduate certificates, and 865 for associate degree programmes. Bachelor’s degree programmes saw 6,571 scholarships awarded, while postgraduate studies included four for postgraduate certificates, 920 for postgraduate diplomas, 5,602 for master’s degrees and 378 for PhDs.

The GOAL programme, launched in 2021, provides fully funded scholarships for Guyanese citizens to pursue online undergraduate certificate, diploma, and degree and postgraduate studies (postgraduate certificate, diploma, master’s and PhDs) in various disciplines.

The initiative partners with reputable international universities to offer courses ranging from law, psychology, information technology and business management to health sciences, education, artificial intelligence (AI) and journalism and communication.

The programme’s original aim was to award 20,000 scholarships to Guyanese.

Manickchand pointed to the successes that are already coming from the programme, in terms of jobs found, businesses created, and professionals who have risen in their various fields of work. GOAL also responds to a critical set of skills that this country currently enjoys with its rapidly developing economy, hinged on new industries such as oil and gas, among others.

Last year, the government introduced new courses to meet the evolving needs of the people as the GOAL programme enters its fifth year. This demonstrates the government’s commitment to a brighter future for Guyana, with nearly 30,000 scholarships awarded in just four years.