Education Minister– The Because We Care Cash Grant is for every child attending school

On Tuesday, August 2 the Because We Care Cash Grant distribution began across Guyana with parents and guardians turning grant for their children. The Grant’s distribution was officially launched on August2, by the Education Minister, Priya Manickchand at the Belle West Primary School in Region Three.

Manickchand told parents that a lot of work went into ensuring that the exercise is done smoothly and efficiently to allow all parents and guardians to be able to uplift the grant in a timely manner.

The minister explained to the parents, teachers and students that there are no other criteria to receive the grant than to have the child’s name on the register. “You will see that nobody is going to ask you how you voted, nobody is going to ask you to take off your mask or take off your hat so that we can see the colour of your skin or the texture of your hair. Nobody is going to ask you whether you are male or female, nobody is going to ask you how your prayed last Sunday or last Friday, nobody is going to ask you which street you come from. This grant is for every Guyanese student who is on the register and who has been attending school,” she said.

The education minister noted that the restoration of the Cash Grant is a promise her government made and has since delivered on that promise. It was revealed that last year, parents received $19,000 through the Grant which has now increased to $30,000 this year.

Manickchand said that the Government and the Education Ministry want to ensure that as far as possible, parents are given a helping hand which will go towards the success of their children.

The minister explained to parents the process that is used to arrive at the final list of recipients. She also mentioned that the entire process is being audited live by officers attached to the Audit Office of Guyana to ensure the distribution is done the way it was intended.

Manickchand thanked the teachers who will be giving up a day from their July-August break to work in their schools to ensure the parents of their learners receive the grant. The minister appealed to parents to understand the effort that is required to distribute the grant in four days. She noted that everyone that has worked on the programme across the country must be thanked for the exceptional work that has been put into it.

The ministry said that on Friday, August 5, 2022, over $6B in the Because We Care Cash Grant will be given to families across Guyana to assist parents to prepare their children for the new school year.

The minister during Tuesday’s distribution, visited the Belle West Primary School, the Endeavour and the Commons Secondary School, Rama Krishna Primary School, Mae’s Schools, J.E. Burnham Primary School and the Turkeyen Nursery School. Officers from the Education Ministry are present in every Education District looking over the distribution exercise.