Education Minister Priya Manickchand said the extension of the Because We Care cash grants to students in private schools, directly resulted from calls from those parents.
“As you know, parents across this country have been very grateful to receive this, they thought it is a lot for them and you can’t be unaware that throughout this period, private schools’ parents were vociferous in their expression that they believe they too are entitled to this… We’re very happy to be doing this,” she said in an invited comment to the BIG Smith News Watch on Thursday night.
The cash grant is $15,000 per child; a sum which children in the public school system benefitted from in July-August of this year along with $4,000 each in lieu of school uniform vouchers.
President Irfaan Ali on Thursday evening announced that the Government has extended the cash grant programme to those parents.
According to Minister Manickchand, the ministry began gathering the numbers of students in each private school as well as other relevant information soon after the calls began.
This, she said, allowed the Government to have a greater picture of the logistics which needs to be put in place.
She reminded that the APNU+AFC quashed the programme after assuming office in 2015 and even in 2019 dubbed it a ‘foolish waste of money.’
However, the Minister said “we consider children of this country, whether private schools or public schools, Guyanese children and we will support them all. We’re going to hold the hands of parents throughout any difficulties so we’re very pleased to be bringing this Because We Care cash grant to parents.”
The statement from the President outlined that the decision to extend the programme will see an additional $320M+ distributed to some 17,000 parents.
This is in addition to the $3.3B distributed to parents of students in the public school.
He noted that work will commence immediately to begin issuing payments.