GEORGETOWN, Guyana — Guyana’s education sector received a major financial push in the first half of 2025, with the government spending $81.9 billion to expand schools, improve learning materials, strengthen teacher training and accelerate access to digital education. The expenditure represents nearly half of the $175 billion budgeted for education this year.
According to the Ministry of Education, the investment supported nationwide construction and rehabilitation works, cash transfers, internet connectivity, scholarship programmes and major reforms across the University of Guyana and the technical-vocational system.
More than $11.2 billion was used to advance school infrastructure, including the completion of four new nursery schools at Baitoon, La Bagatelle, Mibicuri and Rockstone, creating 280 spaces. The Kako Nursery School is expected to be completed by year-end. Upgrades to primary schools at Augsburg, Redcreek and 58 Miles are progressing, while secondary school construction is underway at Jawalla, Kopinang, Monkey Mountain, Nismes, Phillipai, Tabatinga and Waramuri. Dormitory expansion continued at Aurora, St. Ignatius, Waramadong and Kwakwani, with additional facilities set to begin at Matthew’s Ridge, Monkey Mountain and Kwakwani.
School feeding programmes also expanded. Of the $5.5 billion allocated, $3.5 billion was spent to extend breakfast to 49,841 pupils on the coast and hot meals to 37,829 students in the hinterland. Another 1,000 students across Regions One, Eight, Nine and Ten will be added later this year. The Because We Care cash grant delivered over $11 billion to more than 203,000 students, helping support attendance and classroom readiness.
Resources for learning materials grew as well. The ministry spent $56.2 million on books and textbooks for nursery and secondary schools and developed nearly 50 new nursery titles, with 70 more in progress. Primary schools are expected to receive 137 new book titles this year, while secondary schools will expand their collections from 137 to 344 titles. Over $2 billion in school grants were also disbursed for classroom supplies.
The ministry reported improved academic outcomes, noting that the National Grade Six Assessment recorded pass rates above 50 percent in all four core subjects for the first time. A Mathematics Intervention Programme continues in secondary schools, where monitors have been placed in 59 institutions and every school received geometry sets, calculators and past papers.
Digital access also expanded, with first-time internet connectivity installed at 28 nursery, 44 primary and four secondary schools. Fifty more schools are expected to be connected this year. Under the Hinterland/Riverine Solar and Satellite Project, equipment was installed to strengthen the Guyana Learning Channel in over 200 communities. Six digital channels were launched, and 2,300 digital learning boxes were distributed to families.
At the tertiary level, the University of Guyana spent $6.5 billion during the period, supported by the government’s move to make all programmes tuition-free. Applications increased to 11,600, up from 8,902 last year. More than $1.5 billion in student debt was written off, bringing total forgiven debt to $2.8 billion. UG also received universal institutional accreditation, while its new College of Medical Sciences earned programme-specific accreditation.
Scholarship initiatives continued under the Guyana Online Academy of Learning, which awarded 9,741 scholarships in 2025. Since its launch in 2021, GOAL has issued 39,499 scholarships and produced nearly 10,000 graduates. An additional 7,400 people completed Coursera courses this year.
Teacher training also expanded, with more than 4,000 teachers enrolled at the Cyril Potter College of Education. Of these, 1,400 received GOAL scholarships for further study. In the technical and vocational sector, the government launched its 2025–2035 national TVET policy and spent $835 million on skills training. New practical instructional centres were opened at Beterverwagting and Hopetown, offering CVQ Level I programmes, while upgraded departments at St. Ignatius and Bartica benefitted over 1,800 students.
The Board of Industrial Training trained 2,673 people in the first half of the year, with 588 more scheduled for upcoming programmes. In July, 33 students graduated from the Guyana Technical Training College, marking continued growth in workforce development initiatives. (DPI)