THOUSANDS of Guyanese who have benefitted from the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) came in for criticism from the A Partnership for National Unity (APNU), while the Government programme under the People’s Progressive Party Government has been widely praised as a success.

Leader of the People’s National Congress and Presidential candidate of the APNU, Aubrey Norton took aim at Guyanese who are enrolled in the GOAL programme, calling it “goalless” and questioning the efficacy of the programme, even as Guyanese students toiled and studied to achieve higher education.

Norton scoffed at the number of candidates who graduated with PhDs through the GOAL programme, effectively trivialising the hard work of Guyanese students.
More than 30,000 Guyanese have also received fully funded online scholarships through GOAL, with over 70 per cent of them being women. The programme is giving people, both young and old, the chance to earn degrees, master’s, and even PhDs from international universities, without leaving their homes.

From communities in Region One to those in Region 10, thousands of Guyanese have been and are being equipped with the qualifications and skills needed for the country’s growth. The numbers show the scale of a G$12.5 billion investment so far, or about G$312,000 per student.

The PPP/C’s record of delivery is a sharp contrast to the APNU and the Alliance for Change (AFC) opposition, who are now promising free education, despite failing to implement it during their time in office.

In fact, under the former coalition government, tuition fees increased, and VAT was placed on private education.
The government continues to invest where it matters, and this includes incorporating every segment of the population.
In some ways, Norton sought to insinuate that Guyanese are illiterate as a result of the current government.
However, the numbers and facts tell a different story.

The Ministry of Education has indicated that reading literacy indicates that 98% of young women (aged 15-24) and 97.7% of men, respectively, are literate. Based on statistics recorded by the education ministry and the MICS 2014 Report.

The Education sector has consistently rolled out plans to promote literacy and develop reading among children, like the Primary School Libraries Programme. Additionally, the Education Sector Plan (2021-2025) is another example of a policy document that outlines comprehensive goals that focus on teacher training, early reading interventions, and multilingual education programming.

REMOVAL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA’S TUITION
Thousands of students across the country are now accessing tertiary education without incurring any tuition fees. This was a result of the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) delivering on one of its boldest campaign promises: free tertiary education for all Guyanese.

This promise, first made in the PPP/C’s 2015-2020 manifesto, has been rolled out in phases. In 2024, the government announced a student loan debt write-off for over 13,000 current and former students of Guyana’s premier tertiary institution: the University of Guyana (UG). By waiving the monies owed by students, the government would have invested $18 billion to help young Guyanese.

Shortly after, during a special sitting of the National Assembly, President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced that tuition fees at UG and all public technical institutions, including the Carnegie School of Home Economics and the Guyana School of Agriculture, would be fully removed in 2025.

“This will continue the advancement of our human capital for a more prosperous future for our country, and for all of the young people who will benefit from this initiative and their families. This measure will benefit over 11,000 current students immediately, and, of course, all the new entrants in the future,” the president had said.

The change took effect on January 1, 2025, which means: no tuition fees for new or continuing students pursuing Diplomas, Bachelor’s degrees, Master’s degrees, or PhDs across UG’s campuses and Online platforms.

This commitment, like many others, has been fulfilled well before the end of the government’s term in office. The reality remains that education is a high priority, with the matching investments to show the government’s dedication. The education sector is being built on good governance, strong policy and respect for Guyanese, not punchlines and trivialities. (DPI)