PROVIDING more employment opportunities and continuously transforming the education sector are among some of the priorities on the government’s five-year term agenda, according to Vice President Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.

During a press conference last Thursday at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC), Dr. Jagdeo said that much of the government’s agenda is being implemented, though not always publicised, to fulfil key manifesto promises ahead of the 2031 polls.

“On the job creation front, we’re looking at expanding investment in many other sectors of the economy so that more people would have jobs,” the Vice President said.

Since assuming office in 2020, the People’s Progressive Party/ Civic (PPP/C) has made significant gains in job creation.  Jobs generate income, reduce poverty, lower crime rates, and foster a sense of purpose and community whilst bridging inequality gaps by providing opportunities to marginalised groups, such as youths, women, and rural communities.

Since 2020, the PPP/C government has created more than 50,000 jobs, and Dr. Jagdeo has continuously maintained that this momentum will continue. The PPP/C has also re-instated and introduced programmes to improve the lives of citizens. Key programmes include the part-time job initiative, which currently supports more than 18,000 persons, of whom 12,000 are women.

The Community Support Officers (CSOs) programme in Amerindian communities was also re-instated.

Modernising education

The Vice President also highlighted the strides within the education sector and even pointed to President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s digital school initiative.  The Guyana Digital School adopts a holistic four-quadrant approach, integrating technology, content, engagement, and hands-on experiences to enhance students’ learning.

“Although you don’t see as much, a lot is being worked on behind the scenes to ensure that we have the agenda fulfilled in the next five years. And as I said before, the elections are going to be in 2031. So that’s when we’d have to account for all of these promises,” he stated.

The government has successfully rehabilitated more than 100 schools, funded or facilitated training for some 82,000 Guyanese — including 39,000 through the Guyana Online Learning Academy (GOAL) scholarships — introduced free university education, and is currently writing off $19 billion in student loans.

Since assuming office in 2020, approximately 3,000 teachers have been trained, strengthening the national teaching workforce to about 12,000. This expansion means students can now benefit from more personalised attention in the classroom, thanks to a significantly improved student-to-teacher ratio.

Additionally, the education sector has seen notable upgrades in smart classrooms, further enhancing the quality of learning nationwide.

Since 2020, the Ministry of Education has been committed to ensuring equitable access to quality education across the nation. Key interventions included providing free access to high-quality textbooks, expanding the Learning Channel to reach remote communities and reintroducing and raising the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant programme to support families.

Notably, students who sat this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) were reimbursed for at least eight subjects. This complements the earlier announcement in April that the government would cover the cost of at least eight CSEC and CAPE subjects.

These initiatives and others have reduced barriers to educational resources and have helped to ensure that all learners can excel academically.