The government’s education cash grant of $19,000 for each public school student was rolled out in Regions Three and Five over the weekend.
Last week the programme was inaugurated in Region Two (Pomeroon-Supenaan).
According to a Ministry of Education release on Saturday, the grant was distributed in the Essequibo River islands to the tune of $27.5m. It said that more than 97% of the grants for students were uplifted.
During the distribution, Education Minister Priya Manickchand told parents that the island of Leguan is on the rise.
She listed several projects that have happened, are in progress and will be implemented on the island. She said that currently there is an excavator on the island from the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority which is working to prevent flooding.
She added that washroom facilities have been installed at the Post Office particularly to benefit pensioners. She stated that the island has seen an investment of over $700M in sea defence work. Repairs have also been done to the doctors’ quarters, she said
In the area of agriculture, she said that the opening of the coconut nursery seeks to provide a means for residents to be self-sufficient and produce enough to even export.
The release said that Minister in the Ministry of Public Works Deodat Indar spearheaded the distribution on the island of Wakenaam while regional Chairman Ishan Ayube visited locations along the right bank of the Essequibo River and Dr. Tandika Smith did the same on the left bank of the said river.
With the programme launched in Region Five (Mahaica-West Berbice) on Sunday, the ministry said that $196M was scheduled to be distributed to 10, 324 students. The programme kicked off at the Karamat Primary School along the Mahaicony Creek.
Also spearheading the distribution in the Region was Minister of Legal Affairs and Attorney General, Anil Nandlall. Students from 18 nursery, primary and secondary schools received their grants on Sunday in the region, the ministry said.
