Govt writes off $175.6M in student loans for 204 persons

…over 206,000 students received financial support – mid-year report

The University of Guyana (UG) has written off $175.6 million in student loans for 204 persons during the first half of 2026, bringing the total value of loans cancelled since the programme began in 2024 to $3.2 billion. The disclosure was made in the 2026 Mid-Year Report, which shows that $85.4 billion of the $183.6 billion allocated to education for the year was spent during the first six months. At the tertiary level, UG expended $7 billion during the first half of the year, including expenditure related to the expansion of access to medicine and engineering programmes. In April, the university’s pre-medicine programme was extended to all regions, with 80 students currently benefiting. More than 400 applications are also being processed for the 2026/2027 academic year. Twenty-seven students in Regions Two and Six are currently pursuing civil and mechanical engineering at UG’s regional centres. Through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), more than 3,800 persons graduated from local and international institutions during the first half of 2026. Of the $5.8 billion allocated for scholarships, $1.9 billion was spent during the period. The Public Service Upskilling Platform also recorded 4,310 enrolments for professional development programmes covering areas including customer service fundamentals, workplace ethics and professionalism, project management and data analysis. The target is to enroll 10,000 persons by the end of the year.

10 schools completed
At the school level, $6.1 billion was spent on construction, rehabilitation and maintenance during the first half of the year, out of a $24.3 billion allocation for school infrastructure. The report stated that 10 schools were completed, including Falls Top and Kanapang Nursery Schools, Karaudarnau Secondary School and the Santa Rosa Dormitory. Work is continuing on more than 30 other facilities countrywide. Over 1,700 teachers across all levels also participated in continuous professional development training during the first half of the year, while 2,000 teachers are expected to graduate later this year. Beginning in September, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) will offer specialised Science and Mathematics training to trainees pursuing Early Childhood and Primary Education. According to the report, consultations are also ongoing for CPCE to offer an associate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education during the second half of the year. Efforts are also being made to increase the availability of textbooks and other classroom resources. A comprehensive needs assessment was conducted during the first half of the year to guide the procurement of textbooks, workbooks and reading materials for nursery, primary and secondary schools.
These resources are expected to be distributed during the second half of the year to 511 nursery, 436 primary and 146 secondary schools.

Of the $3.1 billion allocated for school grants, $2.1 billion was disbursed during the first half of the year for classroom supplies. The report stated that digital learning initiatives also continued, with 181 schools actively using the Guyana Learning Channel (GLC) at the end of June. Satellite installations are expected to be completed at 10 schools in Region Seven and seven schools in Region 10 during the third quarter.

Digital school platform
Over 30,000 Grade 10 and 11 students are registered on the Guyana Digital School (GDS) platform, which provides access to class presentations, digital textbooks and other learning materials. Of the $176.1 million allocated for the initiative, $51.3 million was spent during the first half of the year. The National School Feeding Programme also received $3.4 billion of its $7 billion allocation during the period. As at June, 38,012 children were benefiting from juice and biscuits, 52,637 were receiving breakfast and 38,032 were receiving hot meals at schools across the country. In June, 396 school feeding support staff participated in food handlers training aimed at improving meal preparation practices. Meanwhile, distribution of the Because We Care, uniform and transportation grants commenced in June. The grants amount to $85,000 per child, including the $20,000 transportation grant, and are expected to benefit more than 206,000 public and private schoolchildren.

Examination fees
According to the report, the Government also paid $853.3 million in Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) and Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) fees for students sitting up to eight subjects. This covered 13,071 CSEC students and 666 CAPE students in public and private schools. The Education Management Information System (EMIS) is being implemented to improve planning, monitoring and decision-making across the sector. To date, 57 per cent of nursery schools, 42 per cent of primary schools and 41 per cent of secondary schools are implementing the system. The first cohort of 100 teachers and education officers is also undergoing leadership training through the Guyana Leadership Academy, with another 100 persons expected to be enrolled in December. In technical and vocational education, the Guyana Technical Training College (GTTC) recorded 20 graduates in April, bringing the number of graduates who have benefited from its Facility Simulator to more than 70. Another 28 persons are currently undergoing training in mechanical, electrical, instrumentation and production areas, while construction of a practical instructional centre at Mahdia is expected to begin before the end of the year. The Board of Industrial Training (BIT) spent $305.1 million of its $723.1 million allocation during the first half of 2026 to train 706 persons in areas including heavy-duty equipment operation, information technology, masonry and social work. In collaboration with the Guyana Council of Organisations for Persons with Disabilities (GCOPD), the BIT also commenced training for 12 persons in Region Six in drone and robotics technology, the report stated, adding that later this year, a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) EMIS is expected to be launched to track the performance of students and teachers, as well as academic records.