Guyana’s largest-ever graduating class has been urged to become the driving force behind the country’s rapid transformation, as President Irfaan Ali and Minister of Education Sonia Parag delivered powerful messages to the University of Guyana’s Class of 2025.
Nearly 3,600 students from 180 programmes are set to graduate across the Turkeyen and Berbice campuses, the biggest cohort in the University’s 62-year history. The ceremonies, which began on November 20 at Turkeyen, continue through November 22, with the Berbice graduation slated for December 6.
In a video address to the graduates, President Ali framed the moment as far more than a personal milestone. He said Guyana is undergoing a historic shift, one marked by economic expansion, massive infrastructure growth and a society evolving in ways previously unimaginable. But he reminded the class that the country’s future does not rest on oil alone. According to him, the real “engine” of national development is its people and the skills they bring.
The President highlighted that the new Guyana being built requires everything from engineers and health professionals to educators, policy thinkers and entrepreneurs. He pointed to the government’s introduction of free tertiary education at UG as a deliberate investment in nation-building, ensuring every capable citizen has access to higher learning, regardless of background. He cautioned, however, that free education must also strengthen standards and prepare students for a modern, knowledge-driven economy.
In his direct charge to the graduating class, he reminded them that their education cannot end at convocation. He said they are entering a world where technology shifts daily and industries reinvent themselves rapidly, making lifelong learning, adaptability and continuous growth essential tools for success. The President urged graduates to use their knowledge to uplift others, insisting that those who share their learning will become the “true architects” of Guyana’s progress.
Minister Sonia Parag also congratulated the graduates, telling them they embody the leadership, intelligence and creativity needed for the next phase of Guyana’s development. She noted that their degrees represent not just personal achievement but a national investment at a time when opportunities are expanding and new industries are emerging.
The Minister said the University has given them the values and foundation required to contribute meaningfully to national life, whether as educators shaping the next generation, innovators solving future challenges, or engineers helping to build the new Guyana. Encouraging them to remain grounded, she told the graduates that while they have already demonstrated discipline and determination, their journey is just beginning.
She urged them to work purposefully, serve their communities and pursue their ambitions boldly as they step into a world that is changing alongside the nation itself.
