The nationwide distribution of the Government’s Because We Care education grant is underway, with parents and guardians being encouraged to visit their children’s schools on the scheduled dates to collect the financial assistance ahead of the new academic year.
The distribution exercise, which commenced on Monday, June 29, is taking place at schools across the country and is expected to continue over several days to accommodate parents and ensure an orderly process.
In a message to parents and guardians, Minister of Education Sonia Parag said every child enrolled in Guyana’s public and private school system is eligible to benefit from this year’s programme.
Each student will receive a $60,000 Because We Care cash grant, along with a $5,000 school uniform grant and the newly introduced $20,000 transportation grant, bringing the total assistance to $85,000 per child.
The minister urged parents to check with their respective schools and attend on their assigned dates to avoid delays in receiving the grants.
“I know that this is going to be of great benefit to you, because you want your child or children to be in a position to attend school in September, and this is going to assist them with whatever they need to get back to school to be properly prepared for school,” she said.
The grants are intended to help families offset the rising costs associated with preparing children for school, including transportation, uniforms, books, stationery and other essential supplies.
To facilitate a smooth rollout, the Ministry of Education said logistical teams have been deployed across all regions, while ministers and other government officials will visit schools during the distribution exercise to observe the process and engage with parents.
In the 2026 National Budget, the Government announced that approximately 206,000 students are expected to benefit from this year’s programme. The inclusion of the transportation grant increases total assistance to families and is expected to inject an additional $2 billion into households, bringing overall expenditure under the programme this year to an estimated $12.4 billion.
The initiative forms part of the Government’s broader education support programme aimed at reducing the financial burden on families and encouraging school attendance by ensuring students have the resources needed for the start of the September term.
Education officials are reminding parents and guardians who have not yet uplifted their grants to follow the distribution schedule issued by their children’s schools and collect the payments during the designated period so that students can be fully equipped for the new school year.
