The Government of Guyana yesterday launched the 2024 distribution of the “Because We Care” Cash Grant, an initiative that has been in place for four consecutive years. This year’s cash grant is expected to benefit over 205,000 school-aged children nationwide.
At one of the opening ceremonies, held at Queen’s College, Minister of Finance Dr Ashni Singh reiterated the government’s commitment to delivering on its promises and prioritizing education.
“Our manifesto was simple: if you elect us back to office in 2020, this is what we will do… We committed that we will restore [the cash grant] and we committed that we will increase it to $50,000 per child by 2025. And I am pleased to say to you that you having expressed your confidence in us and having elected us back to government, I am pleased to report to you that we have delivered already on almost all the commitments that we gave in that manifesto,” Singh said
The finance minister further noted that the “Because We Care” Cash Grant initiative is a testament to Guyana’s commitment to investing in its young learners. He also pointed out that, with an allocation of over $9 billion in the national budget, the programme aims to alleviate financial burdens on families and ensure that every child has the resources they need to thrive in their academic journey.
“Once we would have completed the distribution of these cash grants for 2024, we would have distributed, this year alone, a total of$ 9.2 billion to the parents of school-going children. And if I were to go one step further, this $9.2B that the 2024 cash grant represents, if I were to situate it within the context of the total that we would have distributed from 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024, over that four-year period, 2024 included, we would have distributed a total of 26.9B to the parents of school-going children,” he added.
According to a Ministry of Education (MOE) press release, Minister of Education Priya Manickchand emphasized the government’s dedication to education during her visit to Port Kaituma, Region One.
“Before the end of today, more than $40 million will go into your pockets. Once we have resources, we make sure we invest it back into you. Once we have resources, you feel that in your pockets and your children feel it in their book bags. And even when we had little, we would always find a way to make sure we improve what you have, because that is what this government does,” she stated.
The release noted that the distribution of the cash grants is not only a logistical operation but also a symbolic gesture of support from the government to its citizens. It reflects a collaborative effort between policymakers, educators, parents, and communities to prioritize education as a national priority.
“As families receive their grants today and over the next few days, there is a palpable sense of optimism and gratitude among recipients. For many, this financial support represents more than just monetary assistance; it represents hope for a brighter future and the realization of dreams that education can make possible. The Ministry of Education remains committed to expanding access to quality education and continuing to support initiatives that uplift communities and empower individuals,” the press statement said.
Among the schools visited by Manickchand were Four Miles Nursery School in Port Kaituma, Region One, and Port Kaituma Primary School. The Finance Minister not only delivered the feature address at the opening at Queen’s College but was present as a parent to uplift his child’s cash grant.
Aside from the Ministers of Education and Finance, Local Government Minister Sonia Parag as well as Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat also visited several schools. Parag paid a visit to Mahaicony Secondary School, while Bharrat visited schools in New Amsterdam.
The distribution of the cash grants is expected to continue throughout the week at various schools across Guyana.
