Latest update April 19th, 2024 12:59 AM
Sep 14, 2019 Letters
I use this opportunity to respond to a statement that was made by PPP/C Chief Whip and MP, Ms. Gail Teixeira on the television programme, “Matters of Public Importance” on September 12, 2019 on CNS Channel 6, where she stated that, “President Granger removed the cash grant from school children.”
Ms. Teixeira should be ashamed to remind the nation that the APNU+AFC government has halted the $10,000 per child. The “Because we care” school grant which was an initiative under the previous PPP/C administration was a one-off political gimmick with the intention to enhance the PPP/C’s electoral chances in the 2015 elections. However, the initiative was badly implemented and it was “fiscally unsustainable.”
The APNU/AFC Government has delivered significantly to Guyana’s education sector much more than the PPP/C did. Investing billions in the sector since taking office in 2015, the government has increased its annual contributions to various educational areas, which is clearly shown in the yearly budgetary allocation beginning from 2016.
In that year, a sum of $40.3B was given to the Ministry of Education. In 2017, another $43.1B was allocated. A total of $44.1B and $52.3B was pumped into the same sector, in 2018 and 2019, respectively.
The move by the current administration has profited thousands, providing them with better opportunities for achieving a brighter future. This commitment was made by the Ministry of Education and by extension the government.
President David Granger’s Five B’s Initiative – providing boats, buses, bicycles, breakfast and books to students across Guyana also aided in many successes. Under this programme, children in hinterland, riverine and targeted communities are now benefiting from the provision of buses, boats, bicycles, books and breakfast all free of charge. The ‘5 B’s Programme, has improved students’ access to schools and lowered the rate of school dropouts.
It has had a positive impact on education; much more than what the PPP/C’s offer of $10,000 to Guyanese children had, since primary school dropouts fell by 58% and secondary school dropouts fell by 25%.
Through this Five B’s Programme these school children can now enjoy having breakfast every morning in schools, if the parents are unable to provide them with breakfast. Through this programme we can clearly see that the government is improving the lives of school children ten times more than the PPP/C did with the ten thousand cash grant, because these are not one-off initiatives.
The PPP/C by now should take several seats when it comes to the Coalition government and education, since Guyana has recorded a 73% overall pass rate in grades one to three at this year’s Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations. This is the best performance the country has seen, with 11,467 students having written the exams.
In closing, education is the vehicle to success and the children are our future. With no doubt, the APNU+AFC government is committed to ensuring that education will continue to be placed as first priority under the David Granger administration.
Yours sincerely,
Ceion Rollox
Please share this to every Guyanese including your house cats.
Apr 19, 2024
SportsMax – West Indies Women’s captain Hayley Matthews delivered a stellar all-round performance to lead her team to a commanding 113-run victory over Pakistan Women in the first One Day...Kaieteur News – For years, the disciples of Bharrat Jagdeo have woven a narrative of economic success during his tenure... more
By Sir Ronald Sanders Waterfalls Magazine – On April 10, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States... more
Freedom of speech is our core value at Kaieteur News. If the letter/e-mail you sent was not published, and you believe that its contents were not libellous, let us know, please contact us by phone or email.
Feel free to send us your comments and/or criticisms.
Contact: 624-6456; 225-8452; 225-8458; 225-8463; 225-8465; 225-8473 or 225-8491.
Or by Email: [email protected] / [email protected]