The Ministry of Education has achieved a historic milestone by decentralising the University of Guyana’s (UG) engineering programmes to Regions Two and Six, a strategic move designed to fuel the nation’s unprecedented infrastructure boom. By launching Civil and Mechanical Engineering at the Essequibo Technical Institute and the John’s Science Centre in Berbice, respectively, the Ministry is proactively closing the skills gap to ensure Guyanese are the primary architects of the nation’s future.
During an orientation session for the inaugural Berbice cohort, Education Minister Sonia Parag emphasised that this expansion is rooted in the government’s commitment to inclusive growth, stating that the administration will continue to expand opportunities “until we stop making our people spectators of the transformation and make them part of the transformation.”
Minister Parag highlighted that “access is the word of the day,” noting that the ability for students to study within their own regions removes the heavy financial and geographical barriers that once made higher education a distant dream for many. Reflecting on the shift towards a tuition-free University of Guyana, the Minister remarked, “When I was at the University of Guyana, you had to obtain a loan or your parents had to save for you to attend. Since the university became free, there have been thousands of loan write-offs worth billions of dollars, and we are going to maintain that in 2026.” This decentralisation allows students to remain with their families, in their communities, avoiding the high costs of rent and food in Georgetown or its surrounding areas.
This, Minister Parag noted is vital because “the fact that we have the will to ensure that you have access to higher education is why you are sitting in this room.”
Addressing the rigorous demands of the infrastructure sector, the Minister challenged the students to embrace a “competency-based reform” that prioritises practical skill over mere test-taking. As the country builds world-class bridges, roads, and hospitals, she stressed that the workforce must be equally world-class and ready to think “outside the box” to solve modern challenges.
“If you want to say you’re an engineer, I have to see your skills at work,” the Minister asserted, adding that the programmes specifically requires practical knowledge and the repetition of practice to ensure excellence. By localising this high-level training, the Ministry of Education is ensuring that the “brain power” stays within the regions, directly linking academic achievement to the massive physical transformation currently taking place across every corner of Guyana.
It must be noted that engineering is not the only programme being decentralised in this first phase of the effort. Minister Parag is also working actively with her colleague, Minister of Health Dr. Frank Anthony, and the UG team to also expand its medical programmes to the various regions.
These efforts are directly rooted in President Irfaan Ali’s One Guyana push, which is premised on ensuring inclusivity and equal access to key social services at all levels, especially education.
