-Dr. Jagdeo says, highlights empowerment of over 83,000 persons through GOAL, other training initiatives

GUYANA’S future is in safe hands, as, over the past five years, over 83,000 Guyanese have benefitted from scholarships and specialised training, People’s Progressive Party (PPP) General Secretary Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo has highlighted, while underscoring his government’s commitment to progress and empowerment.

During a press conference on Thursday at Freedom House, Georgetown, Dr. Jagdeo congratulated those future leaders who have benefitted from the government’s transformative policies.

The magnitude of the impact made by the Government of Guyana’s Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) programme stands out.

Since its launch in 2021, GOAL has provided a record 39,000 fully-funded scholarships to Guyanese nationals, almost double the government’s initial target of 20,000 scholarships by 2025.

The programme demographics tell a powerful narrative of empowerment and inclusion. With 21,436 scholarships to women compared to 8,322 to men through 2024, GOAL has been a powerful instrument for gender equality in education.

Further, about 13,000 individuals received training through the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), and about 17,000 persons from the Women’s Innovation and Investment Network (WIIN) programmes, Dr. Jagdeo disclosed.

“We’re talking about 83,000 people who’ve undergone some sort of training, and all free, with the exception of those who paid cash for UG; that’s a massive number of people, and it’s spread all over the country,” he also stated.

The PPP, in its 2020 Manifesto, promised 20,000 Online scholarship, but has surpassed this figure, marking a bold and visionary leap towards educational equity and national development.

This is in spite of the attempts by government critics to dismiss the significant progress made in the education sector by the PPP.

The General Secretary, who also serves as Guyana’s Vice-President, said that he is excited about Guyana’s future, which will be led by those building themselves to be better.

Speaking about the sea of Guyanese that are destined to become the future leaders, he said that GOAL’s recent graduation was reflective of Guyana, with men and women of every race.

“That is a very satisfying thing for us in the People’s Progressive Party; our policies are working for all the people of our country. And I want to once again congratulate all of those who graduated recently, and those who opted to study through this programme,” Dr. Jagdeo said.

Agriculture, the digital society, healthcare, education are just some of the fields that will absorb these future leaders of tomorrow, he added.

The vice-president also commended participants of the programme for their resilience and faith in its success, noting that despite initial scepticism, particularly from critics, their dedication is now producing visible and impactful results.

Over the past five years, approximately 13,000 individuals have graduated from the University of Guyana. With tertiary education, including studies at UG, now offered free nationwide, Dr. Jagdeo emphasised that this move underscores the government’s commitment to empowering its citizens.