Gov’t school uniform programme - 30,000 Amerindian and hinterland children to benefit

What started out as a programme to benefit mainly rural areas, the Government’s School Uniform Assistance Programme, is now benefitting thousands of children in Amerindian and hinterland communities as the administration continues to work in closing the education gap between the coastland and the hinterland.


Students from the nursery, primary and secondary levels are now benefitting from the uniform assistance which this year will cost the People’s Progressive Party (PPP/C) Administration $300M to outfit about 200,000 children.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai hands over school uniform materials to teacher and students of Aishalton Secondary School, Region 9

Of that sum, $63.2M has been spent on materials for children in Regions One, Seven, Eight and Nine and will benefit over 30,000 students.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and a team from the Ministry visited several Amerindian communities in Region Nine from June 22 to 24, to oversee the distribution of school uniform materials and to generally listen to residents’ concerns.

Minister Sukhai and Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Collin Croal visited communities including St. Ignatius, Kumu, Moco Moco and Nappi where the uniform materials were handed over to head teachers and in some cases the villages’ respective toshaos.

Minister Sukhai in her address to hundreds of residents and students gathered at the various schools for the launch of the programme informed them that development is a long process, but in Guyana it has been happening consistently as Government continues to invest in all sectors, thus creating a better country for its people.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai hands over school uniform materials to Raoul Sutherland, Head Master of Achawib Primary School. Looking on are Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Amerindian Affairs Collin Croal and council members of Achawib village, Region 9

“Over the years more and more Amerindians are being trained in various fields such as education, agriculture and health, and as a Government, investment in our human resources has always been paramount in our priorities,” Minister Sukhai said.

These investments, Minister Sukhai said start with the nation’s children, who are the future of this country.

The extension of the school feeding programme, school uniform programme, annual scholarship opportunities and subsidies for learning material and examination fees are just some of government’s intervention at affording hinterland children the opportunities of an education, despite their geological locations.

“There should be no excuse for children to stay at home or parents to make excuse that their children don’t have a uniform or cannot afford a snack, particularly at the nursery and primary levels,” Minister Sukhai said.

In the hinterland and Amerindian areas, at the nursery level 3585 children will benefit 19993 at the primary level and 6502 at the secondary level.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai and Students of Kumu Nursery School, Region 9

Minister Sukhai also noted that $19.5 M from the total sum was spent on procuring materials for Region Nine which will benefit 38 nursery, 48 primary and 5 secondary schools.

Contracts for the sewing of uniforms she noted will be awarded to residents of the respective villages at a cost of $600 each.

“When you look at the millions of dollars invested for procurement of materials, transportation and sewing of the uniform …we expect that our children give back to our country, the commitment to do even better every year at their studies,” Minister Sukhai said.

Today, hinterland communities across Guyana can boast of universal access to nursery and primary education. Government continues to invest in the construction of more secondary schools as well in Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 to improve in the secondary aspect. These are being built with dormitory facilities to meet the needs of the increasing number of students who are now accessing secondary education including at Sand Creek, St. Ignatius, Annai, Aishalton, Waramadong, Port Kaituma, Mabaruma and Paramakatoi.

Minister of Amerindian Affairs Pauline Sukhai hands over school uniform material to Toshao of Parikwarinau John Daniels. In photo also are Toshaos and CDOs of other communities in Region Nine

This year, $24.3 B has been allocated towards the continued successful implementation of the National Education Strategic Plan in 2011. Training, infrastructural development, and the school feeding and uniform assistance programmes are among the major aspects.