Vice President, Bharrat Jagdeo noted that his government’s plan to make free education at the University of Guyana (UG) will be retroactive. This means that monies owed by current and past students will be fully absorbed by the government in a phased manner.
The ruling People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) had promised in its 2020 election manifesto to make education free at the public institution by the end of its five-year-term next year.
With a phased approach, Jagdeo noted that this policy will be backdated, by firstly giving relief to those who are serving the country and are already on the register paying off loans.
“So, it is a studied policy. We don’t do things just off the top of our heads. So, effectively, the policy has been in place, because the moment we decided we were going to make this (policy) retroactive by giving a waiver to those who have not paid and who have served our country, then we’ve effectively implemented the policy of free education.”
However, it’s important to note that individuals who have already settled their accounts with the institution will not benefit from this initiative.
The government’s strategy aligns with Article 27 of the Constitution of Guyana, which asserts, “Every citizen has the right to a free education from nursery to university, as well as at non-formal places where opportunities are provided for education and training.”
