–to allow for smooth transfer for credits, President Ali announces

PRESIDENT, Dr. Irfaan Ali has announced plans to integrate the engineering programmes at technical institutes across the country with the University of Guyana (UG), allowing for the transfer of credits.
The Head of State made this disclosure on Tuesday while addressing persons at the commissioning ceremony for a New College of Medical Sciences Building at the University of Guyana (UG’s) Turkeyen Campus.
He said: “How do we integrate the technical institutes that we’re investing billions of dollars in to the curriculum of the university so the credit transfer is integrated, and it’s a smooth transition.”
The President said that this is a part of a broader initiative to ensure that Guyana has the maximum standards of education, allowing Guyanese to tap into the latest technologies and programmes to remain competitive globally.
He said: “If we have our nurses, our doctors, our lab technicians, all studying and enjoying the same level of service and the same facilities, then you’re training them to work together in medicine.”
These further align with the government’s polices to make education readily available to all.
“My government has made it very clear that education must be accessible to all. That is why we have taken bold steps to provide tuition free-education at the University of Guyana… no student should be denied the right to education because of financial constraints.
“No student should also be not denied the right to tertiary education because of geography or the financial means to attend classes,” President Ali said while stressing that tertiary education will continue to see investments.
“We’re not stopping short. This is not compartmental thinking. This is about a huge vision. This is about understanding where we want the country to be positioned,” he added.
In October 2024, Dr. Ali had announced that all government technical and vocational training institutions, including the Guyana Industrial Training Centre and Carnegie School of Home Economics, will be tuition-free starting January 2025, benefiting an additional 3,000 people.
In December 2023, President Ali had committed to making university education free in Guyana, outlining a phased approach that would begin in 2024.
“As I stand before you today, more than $13 billion will be invested in this university to ensure that the children would have this free education here,” the President said.
This, he related, would see students saving just about US$150,000 in tuition fees.
“We are giving free education, at the maximum standard… we’re going to invest in the highest standards, the maximum standard, so we’re not cutting costs or cutting corners to deliver that free education,” President Ali said.