Govt writes off $175.6M in student loans for 204 persons

…over 206,000 students received financial support – mid-year report

The University of Guyana (UG) has written off $175.6 million in student loans for 204 persons during the first half of 2026, bringing the total value of loans cancelled since the programme began in 2024 to $3.2 billion. The disclosure was made in the 2026 Mid-Year Report, which shows that $85.4 billion of the $183.6 billion allocated to education for the year was spent during the first six months. At the tertiary level, UG expended $7 billion during the first half of the year, including expenditure related to the expansion of access to medicine and engineering programmes. In April, the university’s pre-medicine programme was extended to all regions, with 80 students currently benefiting. More than 400 applications are also being processed for the 2026/2027 academic year. Twenty-seven students in Regions Two and Six are currently pursuing civil and mechanical engineering at UG’s regional centres. Through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL), more than 3,800 persons graduated from local and international institutions during the first half of 2026. Of the $5.8 billion allocated for scholarships, $1.9 billion was spent during the period. The Public Service Upskilling Platform also recorded 4,310 enrolments for professional development programmes covering areas including customer service fundamentals, workplace ethics and professionalism, project management and data analysis. The target is to enroll 10,000 persons by the end of the year.

At the school level, $6.1 billion was spent on construction, rehabilitation and maintenance during the first half of the year, out of a $24.3 billion allocation for school infrastructure. The report stated that 10 schools were completed, including Falls Top and Kanapang Nursery Schools, Karaudarnau Secondary School and the Santa Rosa Dormitory. Work is continuing on more than 30 other facilities countrywide. Over 1,700 teachers across all levels also participated in continuous professional development training during the first half of the year, while 2,000 teachers are expected to graduate later this year. Beginning in September, the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) will offer specialised Science and Mathematics training to trainees pursuing Early Childhood and Primary Education. According to the report, consultations are also ongoing for CPCE to offer an associate degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education during the second half of the year. Efforts are also being made to increase the availability of textbooks and other classroom resources. A comprehensive needs assessment was conducted during the first half of the year to guide the procurement of textbooks, workbooks and reading materials for nursery, primary and secondary schools.