…making education more reachable, especially for the most vulnerable

“Without the scholarship and stipend, pursuing further studies was out of our grasp,” some of the students who received scholarships revealed

A SOLID education is priceless; it creates opportunities for future successes. It may open doors of opportunities, add to one’s self confidence and can provide possibilities for easier breakthrough in life, and at the same time the potential for jobs, better income and equity in life.

In countless ways, the APNU+AFC coalition has stated that they regard education as a major tool, which would not only advance the cause of government, but also bring socio-economic liberation to the people. President Granger has emphasised the importance of education in various ways, and at every available opportunity.

COMMENCEMENT OF GOVERNMENT
Since the start of the ‘Coalition Government’, nearly 200,000 scholarships have already been granted to Guyanese to pursue local and overseas training. These include University of the West Indies and University of Guyana undergraduate and post-graduate scholarships, as well as the Guyana School of Agriculture. Out-of-school students, public servants, youth and others all across Guyana are beneficiaries.

In the case of the University of the West Indies, a government-collaborated agreement with the school had expired due to the stand taken by the previous PPP administration. However, the ‘Coalition’ had to have a process of re-negotiating yet again, since that government had stopped payments of any economic cost, and had stopped giving scholarships. President Granger, who was at the time attending a CARICOM Heads of Government meeting in Trinidad had to intervene.

ELABORATE LOCAL TRAINING
Clearly, the government is pulling out every stop to ensure that Guyana becomes a well-educated nation. This seems to be the dream of President David Granger. Further, entrepreneurships are being encouraged by way of existing training offered to facilitate this. This takes prominence on the agenda of the APNU+AFC government.

The training is extensive, and includes areas of agriculture and agriculture science; business; engineering; mechanics, as well as heavy-duty equipment operation; welding and fabrication. In addition, much emphasis is also placed on training for persons more interested in making a name for themselves in catering and commercial food preparation, cake and pastry-making, sewing, nutrition, information technology, ecotourism, elderly and child-care providers and other life skills.

President Granger, in his 2019 Independence Day address, gave examples of how government is making every effort to help promote self-employment for young people, through education and training. He named the Sustainable Livelihoods and Entrepreneurial Development (SLED); the Hinterland Employment and Youth Service (HEYS); and the Youth Innovation Project of Guyana (YIPoG) programmes as just some of the initiatives the government is using to improve their lives.

The scholarships being offered come in varying forms and without discrimination. Young people all over Guyana are now getting the opportunity to develop in skill and intellect. There is now scope to tap into the many resources the government has been making available to expand their knowledge-base.

Local scholarships were also awarded to institutions such as the Georgetown Public Hospital Corporation, Government Technical Institute, Ogle Aviation School, E.R. Burrowes School of Art, Air Services Limited Aeronautical Engineering School, Art Williams and Harry Went Aeronautical School, Carnegie School of Home Economics, Critchlow Labour College, Georgetown American University, Texila American University, Greenheart Medical University and the Nations University.

There are also training programmes, such as the ones offered by the Board of Industrial Training (BIT), the Guyana Radio and the Electronic Company (GRECO) among other agencies that are providing training in many regions across Guyana.

EXTENSIVE INTERNATIONAL STUDIES
With regards to international scholarships, in addition to the University of the West Indies, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Jamaica, the government continues to offer undergraduate and post-graduate scholarships to Cuba. These are mostly for medical studies. Postgraduate and undergraduate scholarships are also on the list for Romania in a variety of specialties.

Scholarships are being offered through the collaborative efforts of the Government of Guyana and the High Commission of India; the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Brunei Darussalam; also the China Scholarship Council Scholarships. These are all at the Master’s level.

Additionally, there is the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships, which is by way of another collaborative arrangement with the Government of Guyana. Petroleum Engineering, Petroleum Geoscience are included as fields of study in this plan. There is also the Universities of Malaya (Malaysia), where scholarships are being offered to Guyanese.

In collaboration with the World Bank Graduate Scholarship Programme and the Asian Development Bank (ADB)/Japan Scholarship Programme, the Government of Guyana is offering postgraduate scholarships in Japan. These are up to the Master’s and PhD levels. In the case of the latter, the scholarship is quite interestingly, for a PhD is Petroleum Engineering. Additionally, in another collaborative move by the GoG and the Organisation of American States (OAS), Guyanese are also offered undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships at the Degree, Master’s and PhD levels.

APNU+AFC DELIBERATE STRATEGY
“The central aspiration of the independence generation was to secure a better future for their children and grandchildren. Young people, today, can look to a bright future with greater confidence, enthusiasm and hope knowing that their government is laying a stronger foundation for the good life for them and their children,” said President Granger.

The amount of Guyanese being granted scholarships locally and internationally continues to increase every year under the APNU+AFC coalition. It is for the benefit of the nation as well as its people. Thus, it is not by accident, but through a deliberate plan of the Granger-led administration to ‘educate the nation’. These scholarships are awarded for the completion of certificates, diplomas, bachelor degrees, postgraduate degrees and doctorates (PhDs).