Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, recently announced that nearly 2,000 Guyanese are expected to graduate from the Government’s controversial Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) during the programme’s third graduation ceremony, scheduled for June 9 and 10, 2025, at the National Cultural Centre. Additionally, 9,179 Guyanese have been awarded scholarships this year, bringing the total number of scholarship recipients since the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) came into office to 39,000.
The GOAL programme, launched under the Irfaan Ali government, has been embroiled in controversy involving mismanagement, financial opacity, and questionable partnerships. Initially intended to provide Guyanese students with access to international education, the programme has drawn criticism from political parties, educators, and the public.
This year the government allocated $4.4 billion in funding, but the execution of the programme has raised questions how these funds are allocated and used. Analysts highlight a lack of transparency regarding payments to the International Skill Development Corporation (ISDC) and the results achieved. Persons have called for a comprehensive audit of the programme, citing concerns over the rapid awarding of PhDs and the involvement of institutions like Jain University.
Another major issue concerns the quality and recognition of degrees obtained through GOAL. Reports indicate students have faced cancelled classes, extended programme durations, and limited access to promised resources. There are also worries about the ownership and intellectual property rights of student research, as many were required to submit work without clear agreements on authorship or usage.
The graduating cohort this year includes students from all regions of the country who have completed programmes from several international universities across various disciplines. Scholarships awarded this year range from certificates to PhDs and are offered through 22 internationally accredited partners, including the University of East London (UK, in partnership with UNICAF), Jain ‘deemed to be’ University in India, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies (UPES), Amity University, and University of Suffolk (UK, in partnership with UNICAF).
This year’s third graduation ceremony, themed “Enhancing the Nation’s Human Capacity,” aligns with the Government of Guyana’s development vision. It also marks the fifth anniversary of GOAL since its launch, a programme aimed at transforming access to tertiary education for thousands of Guyanese across all regions of the country.
