$35,000 now being given to the ‘Because We Care’ cash grant

– along with $5,000 school uniform and supplies grant

Remaining steadfast to its commitment to the nation’s children, government has now proposed the increase of the Because We Care cash grant from $25,000 to $35,000.

It was noted that this will benefit over 214,000 schoolchildren in public and private schools across the country.

Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, made this disclosure during the 2023 budget presentation on Monday.

“This will deliver to the parents of school going children a total of $8.6 billion easing the cost of living,” he said.

It was revealed that this means that in the two years remaining in the first term of the PPP/C Government, just $10,000 needs to be added to fulfil its commitment of increasing the grant to $50,000 per school child per year.

As such, the increase to $35,000 together with the $5,000 for school uniform and other supplies, will ensure each school child receive $40,000.

It was revealed that the PPP/C Government that reinstated the Because We care cash grant after returning to office in 2020. After the programme’s launch in 2014, it was callously shut down the following year by the APNU/AFC Government.

However, as promised, the PPP/C Government revived the much-needed programme in 2021 and increased the cash from $10,000 to $15,000.

Additionally, it was further increased in 2022 to $25,000 per child in every nursery, primary and secondary school, both private and public.