Primary school children in public schools across the country have started to receive all of the necessary textbooks needed to help their studies and President Dr. Irfaan Ali says that secondary school students will get their textbooks this year too.
President Ali said this on Monday while addressing residents of Region Six (East Berbice-Corentyne). The President and a number of government ministers are engaged in an outreach activity in the region.
At the Drop-in Centre in Smithfield, New Amsterdam, President Ali said that close to $800 million has been spent on improving educational access for 24,000 school children in the region.
The sum was spent on the ‘Because we Care’ children’s cash grant, uniform vouchers and textbooks for primary school children. The President assured the residents that these initiatives will be expanded.
He highlighted, “The resources to provide the textbooks for the children in the secondary schools will be provided this year.”
As per the 2022 National Budget, the Ministry of Education’s budget allocation includes a $1.2 billion sum for the purchase of textbooks for public school learners.
Beyond the expansion of the textbooks programme, President Ali also announced that children in Regions Five and Six will soon benefit from a breakfast programme aimed at eliminating hunger from the school system.
The government will also spend $50 million to procure new equipment for students at the New Amsterdam Technical Institute.
