Speaking at the Johns Science Centre in Region 6, part of the University of Guyana’s Tain Campus, Minister Parag called the initiative “significant and a historic day for the Ministry of Education, the Government of Guyana and the University of Guyana.”

The regional programmes will allow students to “remain in their village, remain in their region and be able to access higher education,” the Minister added.

“A number of people have been messaging me as to when the programme is coming in Region 6, Region 2. The students themselves want to remain in their village, remain in their region and be able to access higher education and that’s what we really want to do for our people and our nation.”

The expansion follows a surge in University of Guyana applications after tuition was made free in January 2025.

“Just over 16,000 applications the University of Guyana received in 2025 and as a result, they could not have accommodated by seating all of those persons who applied and who are eligible,” Minister Parag said.

To meet the growing demand, the Government and University have created additional seats in multiple regions. An orientation session was held in Region 2 at the Essequibo Technical Institute, which “will accommodate more than 40 or even 50 students in the engineering field.”

The Region 6 programme is set to accommodate more than 50 students.

Minister Parag said the initiative is part of a broader effort to ensure access to education at all levels.

“We want to give them access, whether it’s at the primary level, the secondary level or the tertiary level and ensure that they do get a higher education, that they are able to be a part of the transformation of this country and so I’m so proud today to be a part of this,” she said.

The PPP/C government has advanced tertiary education in Guyana by making programmes free at the University of Guyana and technical institutes nationwide, while also providing full scholarships through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), greatly expanding access to higher education across all regions.

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Responding to a question about the ministry’s projection that only 5% of teachers will be trained in 2026, the Minister clarified that this does not indicate a deficiency in the system.

“Yes, 95% have either graduated or are in training, and we have about just 5%,” she told the House.

The line of questioning then shifted to student performance at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) level, particularly the stagnation in CXC matriculation between 2021 and 2025 despite improvements in teacher qualification levels and teacher-student ratios.

In response, the Minister outlined the number of teachers trained annually since 2020. She disclosed that 509 teachers were trained in 2020; 845 in 2021; 46 in 2022; 1,837 in 2023; 1,501 in 2024; and 1,345 in 2025. These, she noted, were trained “in all different disciplines.”

While acknowledging concerns about overall matriculation trends, the Education Minister pointed to gains made through targeted interventions, especially in Mathematics.

She highlighted the expansion of the ministry’s Maths Intervention Programme, describing it as “an excellent program” that has been broadened from 59 schools to 82 schools at the end of 2025 heading into 2026, with a strong focus on hinterland communities.

According to the Minister, the intervention led to measurable improvements. “We have moved in 2025 by 5%, of a 5% increase in the grade,” she stated.

She stressed that while five per cent may appear modest, the impact is significant. “When you look at 5%, it may not look like a lot, but as a matter of fact, 500 students were able to pass mathematics in 2025 because of those interventions. 500 more, 500 more.”

The Minister indicated that the ministry is aiming to see both the percentage increase and the number of successful students rise further in 2026 as the programme continues to expand.

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Presenting the Budget on Monday, Senior Minister in the Office of the President with responsibility for Finance, Dr. Ashni Singh, said Government has already taken decisive steps to remove financial barriers at the University of Guyana (UG) and will continue along that path in 2026.

“To eliminate the financial burden on those who have taken University of Guyana student loans, we have written off over $3 billion in loans for more than 4,000 persons. We will continue the write-off programme in 2026,” Singh told the National Assembly.

Since the abolition of tuition fees at UG, demand for tertiary education has surged. According to the minister, “the number of applications to pursue higher education at the institution increased significantly to over 26,000 for the academic year 2025/2026, compared with 17,800 in the 2024/2025 period.”

The expanded access is not limited to fee relief alone. Singh said Government is also responding to growing demand in critical fields, noting that, “in recognition of the high demand for access to particular UG programmes, especially engineering and the medical sciences… we will be expanding access to medicine and engineering programmes in Regions Two, Three and Six at a cost of $1 billion in 2026.”

To support these initiatives, the University of Guyana has been allocated $14.5 billion this year.

The measures form part of a broader education policy aimed at increasing participation in higher learning by removing financial hurdles, shifting the focus from who can afford university to who is qualified and willing to pursue it.

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Speaking on recent initiatives and forward planning, Phillips said more than 1,200 persons across several regions have already benefited from ICT and innovation training, forming a strong base for the next phase of expansion. He noted that through the Train the Trainers initiative, “over 100 individuals in Region One and Nine were equipped to deliver ICT training within their own communities.”

In other regions, he said approximately 875 persons in Regions Two, Four, Five, Six and Ten received foundational ICT training, while disability-focused ICT programmes “empowered 24 persons in Region Four.” Innovation camps, Phillips added, also exposed “a further 169 participants to creative problem-solving and collaborative innovation.”

Building on what he described as “five years of foundational work,” the Prime Minister said the Industry and Innovation Unit under the Office of the Prime Minister will significantly expand its programming between 2026 and 2031. Among the planned initiatives are new training programmes in “artificial intelligence, animation, web design and development,” as well as “specialised coding camps for girls.”

He further announced that government plans to launch several flagship initiatives, including “research and development schemes, a developer’s conference, Guyana’s first Innovation and Technology Week, and an innovation lab to provide physical infrastructure for collaborative development and prototyping.”

According to Phillips, these efforts are intended to ensure that “inclusive, innovation-driven development will move closer to realization while positioning Guyana as a regional leader in digital transformation.”

The Prime Minister also pointed to continued progress under the Hinterland Poor and Remote Communities (HPRC) Project, which targets improved digital access in remote areas. He said to date, “170 ICT hubs” have been constructed to support education, telemedicine and government services. In 2025 alone, “33 new hub managers” were trained, bringing the total since 2022 to 192 trained managers nationwide.

Across 44 communities, Phillips said 130 community development officers and nearly 2,500 residents have been trained in basic ICT skills. He added that institutional capacity was also strengthened through training for 20 officers from the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs in “digital communication, productivity tools, cybersecurity awareness and ministry platforms.”

Regional public servants were not left out, with Phillips noting that “189 public servants within regional democratic councils were trained to better leverage digital tools for community outreach, data management and coordination.”

Looking ahead to 2026, the Prime Minister announced that “15 new ICT hubs will be built,” while training initiatives will be scaled up significantly. He said government is targeting “2,000 additional community members” for ICT training to ensure digital literacy becomes more widespread, particularly at the community level.

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Minister of Education Sonia Parag disclosed this during an interview on the Starting Point podcast on Friday, explaining that the subjects have already been formally placed on school timetables nationwide.

“We’ve timetabled it already,” Parag said, noting that the Ministry worked through its District Education Officers with head teachers to ensure the subjects were slotted into the school day. According to the minister, moral education is generally taught in the mornings, while civic education is delivered at all levels, with content tailored to students’ ages.

She made it clear that the government deliberately chose not to merge the subjects into existing areas such as Social Studies or History.

“These are standalone subjects,” Parag said. “So, we don’t want them to be incorporated. So you’ll have an element for example of moral education in some other subject or you will have a component of civic education perhaps in history or one of those um subjects. And so we don’t just want it to be a component. We want it to be taught as a standalone as a separate subject because it deserves that sort of importance and it deserves that significance…”

At the nursery level, civic education will focus on patriotism, national identity and basic civic behaviour. Parag explained that children will be taught how to conduct themselves during the playing of the National Anthem, including standing at attention, and will also learn Guyana’s national songs.

“We know that we have a lot of adults in Guyana who do not know the national songs. We’re starting it from a young age,” she said.

As students progress through primary and into secondary school, the curriculum expands to include democracy, civic responsibility and leadership. Parag said students in Grades Five and Six, moving into Grade Seven and beyond, will be taught about how democracy functions and how easily it can be undermined.

“They will be learning about how fragile democracy is and how you need to keep it strong and steady and how they play a part in that,” the minister explained. “How they will grow up to become policy makers… leaders and decision makers in terms of how the community can develop.”

Moral education, she added, will focus on values such as kindness, cooperation and teamwork, but with an emphasis on behaviour.

“What is more important to me for something like moral education is not just placing a paragraph on a blackboard and teaching it to a student and say repeat that or rewrite that,” Parag said. “In reality, in everyday life you have to live and behave in that manner.”

She noted that the curriculum was developed internally over the past three months to clearly define what moral and civic education should look like in practice, including how schools can help shape positive behavioural patterns.

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The announcement was made by Education Minister Sonia Parag on Thursday during the commissioning of the Yas School of Inspiration at Crane, West Coast Demerara.

“Within the coming days, we will commission another specialized learning environment dedicated to supporting learners who are deaf, marking Guyana’s 50th SEN space,” Parag said, describing the milestone as evidence that “progress is ongoing.”

She noted that the Yas School of Inspiration itself represents Guyana’s 49th SEN space and forms part of a broader national effort to ensure universal access to special education. “The mission of SEN education is not about labeling or separating children, but it is about recognizing difference and responding with care, planning and support,” the minister told the gathering.

Parag outlined the rapid expansion of SEN facilities over the past five years, explaining that when President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali assumed office in 2020, Guyana had just 13 recognised SEN spaces. “Today, in 2026 there are 48 SEN spaces accommodating approximately 1,300 learners,” she said. “That represents an increase of 35 SEN spaces in less than five years, including during the COVID-19 period.”

According to the minister, those figures reflect more than infrastructure. “Behind those numbers are real classrooms, trained educators and families who now have places where their children can learn and be supported, where in many cases, there were once very limited options,” she said.

She stressed that the ministry’s objective is to ensure all SEN learners can access education in every administrative region, regardless of location or disability. “Where a child lives should never determine whether they receive the support they need to learn,” Parag said, adding that all categories of special education needs and disabilities must be catered for across the country.

As part of building capacity within the system, she pointed to new training opportunities for educators. The Cyril Potter College of Education now offers a specialization in SEN, while the University of Guyana introduced a degree programme in SEN in 2025. In addition, more than 300 persons have graduated in SEN through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning programme in collaboration with the University of the Southern Caribbean.

“This investment in training strengthens the quality of support available in our schools and helps ensure sustainability,” the minister said.

Parag also highlighted ongoing work in early identification and diagnosis, noting that early intervention significantly improves learning outcomes. She said the ministry continues to work with national stakeholders, including organisations representing persons with disabilities, to improve early screening in schools and strengthen collaboration with families.

Community outreach, she added, remains critical. “Through autism acceptance initiatives, SEN fairs and parent and community sensitization programmes, we are addressing stigma and building understanding, after all, inclusive education begins with awareness and acceptance,” Parag said.

She also referenced the expansion of the remedial education programme for persons with disabilities, which supports individuals who were unable to complete their schooling earlier in life. The first cohort, she noted, successfully sat the CSEC examinations with full government funding, opening pathways to further education and employment.

Touching on changes in how education is delivered, Parag said Guyana has moved beyond a “one size fits all, talk and chalk approach.” She pointed to the recent launch of the Guyana Digital School, which provides flexible, synchronous learning opportunities for students in Guyana and across the Caribbean.

“This reform reflects a broader shift in mindset and methodology, one that values adaptability, access and inclusion,” she said.

As the Yas School of Inspiration begins operations, Parag said its true impact will be measured over time. “Long after today, the true impact of this school will be seen in the lives it shapes, in the confidence it builds, and in the adults these learners will grow to become,” she said.

Drawing on the school’s name, the minister added, “Much like the jasmine from which this school takes its name, what begins here may grow quietly, but it will blossom with time.”

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She made this disclosure on Friday during her appearance on Starting Point podcast hosted by Kiana Wilburg and Freeza Haniff.

Parag said the decision to go out nationally was discussed within weeks of her assuming office and received immediate support at the highest level.

“I remember having a conversation with His Excellency the second week of becoming Minister of Education, and the first thing we discussed was whether we should go out nationally and do a public consultation. And right away, the President said, ‘Yes, let’s do this. Let’s do this,’” Parag said.

She explained that the scope of the consultation has since been expanded by President Ali to include the use of social media, noting that bullying is no longer confined to school compounds.

“He has added his component now, because he’s taken it not only as bullying in schools, but how do we now look at social media and the use of social media,” the minister said.

According to Parag, a team comprising ministers and other stakeholders is being assembled to lead the process.

“We will go out very shortly before the end of January to hold a public consultation, or at least advertise the date for the public consultation on the use of social media and what measures we can implement that will safeguard our citizens,” she explained.

She said the consultation will examine “what they take in from social media, what they are exposed to, and all of that, and how damaging some content can be, and how people use content to destroy other person’s lives.”

Parag described cyberbullying as a serious extension of the wider bullying problem. She also noted that bullying was one of the most pressing issues brought to her attention when she entered office.

“One of the first things that hit me in my face that was highlighted so many times when I came into office was the issue of bullying,” Parag said, adding that while it is not unique to Guyana, “it’s clear that it disrupts a child’s learning process” and “the experience that they will have at school.”

She stressed that making education a priority goes beyond academic outcomes.

“Us making education a priority is not just to build a skilled workforce. It is to ensure that students can learn in a safe environment,” she said.

Parag said schools must be places where students feel secure enough to learn, build confidence, and develop a strong sense of identity.

“School should be a place where you feel safe enough that you can learn… safe enough that you build confidence… knowing your identity, knowing who you are, being strong in who you are,” she said.

The minister also confirmed that the anti-bullying campaign launched last November will be intensified this year.

“This anti-bullying campaign, we are rolling it out in a more robust manner this year,” Parag said, noting that the initial launch followed strong public demand.

“When we launched it in November, it was a big deal. It was because of the calling from the public. It was parents who were frustrated because they didn’t know where to turn, what to do,” she added.

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This is according to Minister within the Ministry of Agriculture, Vikash Ramkissoon. The programme, launched in 2022, aims to empower youth in agriculture, boosting food security and fostering agribusinesses through modern techniques such as hydroponics and agro-processing.

Since its launch, Ramkissoon said the AIEP has expanded to six regions, engaging more than 600 participants, while maintaining a 60/40 female-to-male ratio.

He added that the programme has also helped convert training into tangible outcomes, with about 70 per cent of full-time participants starting their own agri-businesses.

Ramkissoon further pointed to production and innovation milestones, including the launch of an agro-processing line, the cultivation of crops on a commercial scale that had not previously been grown in Guyana, and the expansion into what he described as the largest hydroponics facilities in the region.

He said these efforts are aligned with President Dr. Irfaan Ali’s push to position itself as a major regional food hub.

In that context, Ramkissoon noted that Guyana has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Bloomberg Green, a United States-based company, to support national food security and boost agricultural exports.

According to Ramkissoon, the partnership is intended to help advance Guyana’s role in regional food production while contributing to the wider CARICOM goal of reducing the region’s food import bill by 25 per cent, a target Caribbean leaders have been pursuing under the “25 by 2025” initiative, and extending the momentum toward 2030.

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Delivering the brief remarks, Chief Education Officer, Mr. Saddam Hussain, emphasized the importance of the platform in advancing modern education across the country.

He stated that “the Guyana Digital School plays a vital role in reshaping and advancing education for children nationwide,” underscoring the Ministry of Education’s commitment to creating equal access to high-quality learning for every student.

During the virtual session, the far-reaching impact of the initiative was highlighted noting that the digital school is designed to support learners from the coastland to the most remote hinterland communities. Students will benefit from interactive content, virtual science labs, adaptive learning features, and tools that strengthen understanding and encourage exploration. Teachers will have enhanced digital resources and avenues for professional development, while parents will be able to track their child’s progress through the platform.

The Guyana Digital School reflects the visionary leadership of His Excellency, President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali, whose dedication to equity, innovation, and nationwide access has made this initiative possible.

It was noted that the platform was designed to ensure a smooth, supportive, and globally benchmarked digital experience as it functions as a complete virtual school which allows students to learn anytime, anywhere, with full access to lessons, assessments, and academic support.

As part of the orientation, students also received a live walkthrough of the GDS platform, where they were shown how to navigate their subjects, access lessons, engage with activities, and begin their digital learning journey confidently.

Students were encouraged to embrace the opportunities ahead and make full use of the tools available to them through the Guyana Digital School.

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Speaking at the launch of the Next Generation of Aviation Professionals programme, the Head of State told the gathering that those now entering the workforce are positioned to take advantage of a rapidly transforming country.

“This country is presenting unmatched opportunities for young people.”

He said even older Guyanese have expressed how fortunate the current generation is, noting that many in their 60s told him they wished they were 30 or 40 again to benefit from the country’s economic momentum.

President Ali highlighted the new aviation cadet programme as one of the doorways being opened for young citizens, and praised veteran Guyanese aviators who are helping transfer decades of knowledge to the next generation.

“We’ve been working on creating this new country with all of these new opportunities that are going to be mind-blowing. Just incredible opportunities ahead of you.”

The initiative brings together major partners including the Civil Aviation Authority, the International Air Cadets of the United Kingdom, the Air Cadets of Guyana and the University of Guyana, a collaboration which the President described as crucial to national development.

He emphasised that aviation growth is central to the country’s wider plan to better connect communities, expand national productivity and ensure that no region is “left on the tarmac of progress.”

Calling on the youth present to take up the challenge, the President said Guyana is not only expanding its skies but preparing a new workforce to guide its ascent.

Young cadets and interested students were told they are entering a dynamic sector in which their future roles will “define our nation’s connectivity for decades.”

The programme marks the start of what Government says will be a long-term investment in skilled, disciplined Guyanese professionals who will shape the future of aviation in the country and the wider region.

“You’re the next generation. And we’re counting on you,” the President affirmed.

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