Sunday, Senior Minister with Responsibility for Finance and Public Service, Dr. Ashni Singh, announced additional measures to improve ease of access to prospective beneficiaries of the Student Loan Write Off Programme. The loan write off is for students who attended the University of Guyana.
The minister has urged persons to submit their applications as soon as possible, so as to facilitate timely processing of the applications in the interest of ensuring that all eligible persons benefit from the write-off of their outstanding student loans.
Additional accessibility measures for the Student Loan Write Off Programme are as follows:
- Online submission of applications through the Ministry of Finance website at https://studentloanwriteoff.gov.gy/apply/new.
- Drop Boxes for hard copy submission of application form will be placed at all 10 Regional Democratic Council Offices countrywide with immediate effect, as well as the Ministry of Education at 26 Brickdam, and at the University of Guyana Tain Campus, Berbice.
- Applicants may also mail in their application via any post office to the Student Loan Agency. Persons are advised to address their envelope to: Student Loan Agency, PO Box 101544, Georgetown, and state their name and address aback of the envelope.
- Application forms will also be available at all RDC and NDC offices countrywide
Eligible applicants are reminded to download the application form via the Ministry of Finance’s website on this link: https://finance.gov.gy/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Student-Loan-Application-Form-2024-Final.pdf.
The hard copy of this form can also be submitted to the Student Loan Agency at the University of Guyana, Turkeyen Campus.
In 1994 the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government took away the constitutional right to free education from nursery to university by instituting fee-paying at the University of Guyana.
Article 27 in the Constitution of Guyana expressly states “Every citizen has the right to free education from nursery to university as well as to non-formal places where opportunities are provided for education and training.”
Over the years Guyanese fought against the violation of this constitutional right. With Guyana’s burgeoning wealth it makes it harder for Government to ignore the calls to restore the right by reinstating free education. The government is yet to universally restore this right. President Irfaan Ali promised this will happen in 2025. Many see his action as an election gimmick, given free education is a constitutional right and Guyana could afford to fund university education at the country’s sole tertiary institution. Guyana has the world’s fastest growing economy and is the richest per capita.
Opposition Member of Parliament Roysdale Forde S.C has called on President Ali to apologise to the Guyanese people for denying them this right and refund those who paid for their university education. Forde has also called on his parliamentary counterpart, Attorney General and Minister of Legal Affairs, Anil Nandlal S.C, to “address his mind to this issue and accordingly advice President Ali.”
