Bartica, Region Seven on Saturday had the privilege of being the first area to benefit from the government’s $10,000 grant per school child in the public education system.
Sharon Nelson, a mother of two school age children said, according to GINA, “I’m very proud and I know that it will help a lot of parents. I hope lots of parents will send their children more to school… this is a great step the government is taking … I want to thank the entire government.”
The initiative was launched at the Bartica Community Centre Ground, Region Seven where scores of parents and children gathered to receive their grants. President Donald Ramotar, and Ministers Robeson Benn, Priya Manickchand, Juan Edghill, and Dr. Jennifer Westford, as well as Cabinet Member Odinga Lumumba were in attendance.
President Ramotar said that the $10,000 per child ‘Because We Care’ grant is another demonstration of his Government’s and Party’s philosophical belief that no investment is more important than that made in people.
The President called on parents to match the efforts of the Government by assisting to lift the moral standard of society and eradicating many social ills that plague particularly the youths.
“Too many of our girls are getting pregnant… put self development first…education is important not only in itself, but it underpins every sector of the country,” the President said, according to GINA. \
Manickchand told the gathering that in this inaugural roll-out of the programme, every child in the public school system would be qualified. However, next year, students’ attendance rate must be of a certain level in order to be deemed eligible for this grant.
GINA said that the $10,000 per child grant initiative is expected to benefit 188,406 families of the students of public nursery, primary, and secondary schools in the public school system.
