No better investment than in Guyana’s children

– Finance Minister on ‘Because We Care’ grant

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, MP, says there is no better investment than an investment made in Guyana’s children.

The Minister made this statement at the Betsy Ground Primary School today, one of several stops he made to distribute the Ministry of Education’s ‘Because We Care’ $19,000 per public school student cash grant.

“Our Government is firmly committed to doing what is necessary to create the opportunities, but ensuring that those opportunities are fully capitalised on is a responsibility that is shared by those in the education system, and I commend them for doing an excellent job….”

Minister Singh said the cash grant will go a long way in providing critical needs of students, such as stationery, uniform and other school supplies.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, MP, at the Betsy Ground Primary School

He said parents and educators should make use of the provisions the Government continues to make, and to ensure children are disciplined in their educational pursuits. These include scholarship programmes, improved infrastructure, and investments toward achieving universal primary and secondary education.

Students dance during a ceremony at the Betsy Ground Primary School

“The future of your children will not be bright by magic. The future of your children will not be bright simply because Government built the school or Government staffed the school with teachers.

The future of your children will be bright if you ensure that they go to school, if you ensure that they do their homework, if you ensure that they do the revision to prepare for their exam.”

A parent at the Cumberland Primary School receives the cash grant

The Minister also encouraged residents of Region Six to add to its high vaccination rate, so Guyana could achieve herd immunity against COVID-19.

Dr. Singh was one of several Ministers who travelled to the Region to start sharing some $421.6 million allocated for Region Six through the grant initiative. He also visited the Cumberland and Gangaram Primary Schools, which collectively served as distribution points for students attending seven Region Six schools, namely Canefield, Adelphi, Reliance and Goed Bananen Land nursery schools, and the Betsy Ground, Rose Hall Estate and Gangaram Primary Schools.

Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, MP, with teachers at the Gangaram Primary School