Govt rolls out nationwide distribution of CAPE “cash grant”

The distribution of the Government’s “Because We Care” cash grant for Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) students was rolled out on Thursday and will see each child collecting GY$55,000. 
The “Because We Care” cash grant for CAPE students commenced in Regions Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, and 10 on Thursday and will continue in the other regions, including Georgetown, in the days to come.
The initiative intends to ease the financial burden on families by providing a cash grant plus a uniform and supplies allowance to eligible students.
While most school-aged students benefit, Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) students are also included under some versions of the grant.
In Region Six, the “Because We Care” cash grant has had a significant impact. In 2025 over 23,000 schoolchildren benefited from approximately GY$1.3 billion distributed.
The grant helps offset costs for textbooks, school supplies, and examination-related expenses.
The process is organised through school registers, regional verification, and scheduled uplift points to ensure smooth delivery.
The distribution in Region Six took place at the Berbice High School in New Amsterdam.
One parent, Varsha Ramalo, who has a child attending New Amsterdam Secondary (New Amsterdam Multilateral), said the funds will go for whatever is necessary to take care of her child’s needs.
“That is where it has to go. Well, right now, he wants to be an electrical engineer. So, that is what he is learning to do, and whatever he needs, that is where the funds will go,” she said.
Another parent, Lucinda Galaway, who has a child attending the said school, noted that the ‘Because We Care’ initiative is a good programme implemented by the Government.
“Because it’s going to help me in some way. Since she is under my care and she is going to do mathematics lessons, I will use the money in that area.”
Jasmin Henry, another parent, spoke about the benefits of the cash grant to children.
“It is very helpful for the child. So, I want to say thank you to the Government, and I know it is going to benefit other families as well. Well, I mean, in the household, it helps out a lot with the kids, buying their school supplies, anything pertaining to school. And if you have more than one child in the home, it is very beneficial because I have five kids. And one, she outgrew it, so it is four of them collecting the cash grant now. So, it’s very helpful. I got to purchase all my kids’ school stuff with it, so I am grateful for it,” she said.
Some children were fortunate, as their parents allowed them to utilise the funds on items of their choice, which will aid in their education process.
Ngosag Simon, who attends the Berbice High School, is one such student.
“It’ll help me to purchase my dream phone,” she said.
Simon also pointed out that some students would utilise the funds to purchase needed textbooks.
Those books, she explained, are available in digital form online at websites run by the Caribbean Examination Council.
“Some aren’t available at the school, but you can get them online. But most people don’t have access to them online.  Everyone who has data on their phones doesn’t have enough to use them at school. So, most of the time, you will have to wait till you get home, and then you will miss whatever you are doing at school. Like for me, I had to end up getting these at my home because we use some of the online textbooks in schools,” she explained.
This year, over 205,000 students across the country benefited from the Cash Grant initiative, which saw the disbursement of approximately GY$11.28 billion to parents and guardians.
Each child received a total of GY$55,000, a combined sum from the “Because We Care” and the School Uniform and Supplies Grants, reinforcing the Government of Guyana’s commitment to supporting families and ensuring that children are equipped to participate fully in their education.