Financing for equity in pre-primary education
1. Education resources to subnational governments
2. Education resources to institutions
3. Education resources to students and families
4. Social policies and family support programmes
Introduction
Key financing indicators (UIS Data)
According to UIS, the official entrance age to pre-primary education is 4. The net enrolment rate for pre-primary education for both sexes was 76.75 in 2000 and 64.65 in 2023.
Governance
The Ministry of Education oversees the financing of pre-primary education. However, the Child Care and Protection Agency, part of the Ministry of Human Services and Social Security, can provide direct grants for infrastructure, learning resources, and staff development at both private and public daycare facilities.
Tuition-free status
Pre-primary education is tuition-free, according to laws and policies.
1. Education resources to subnational governments
While there exists a certain degree of decentralisation, financing remains predominantly centralised and resources are primarily allocated to schools.
2. Education resources to institutions
The Government of Guyana has introduced a School Grants Programme to enhance teacher resources and improve educational outcomes. Grant allocations depend on the school's location, size, and specific programmes.
The Ministry of Education distributes grants to Regional Executive Officers, who then pass them to local Departments of Education. These departments allocate the funds to head teachers, who manage purchases for janitorial supplies, office materials, and field materials. The School Grants Committee determines whether funds are given directly to teachers or if purchases are centralised. Hinterland and riverine schools receive higher per-student funding each term than coastal schools due to their logistical challenges. National schools get additional fixed sums for broader educational needs.
The Child Care and Protection Agency (Ministry of Human Services and Social Security) provides grants to improve childcare standards nationwide by enhancing infrastructure. The initiative was also designed to assist the facilities in enhancing their childcare services while improving their standards for children to receive the best possible care in their formative years
3. Education resources to students and families
The Ministry of Education reintroduced in 2020 a grant programme that provides parents and guardians of children attending public and private schools in several regions with differential cash grants and vouchers for school uniforms and supplies. Every public and private school child from nursery one to Grade 10 who is registered and attending school is eligible for the grant. Students entering grades 12 and 13 in the new school year will receive their grants in October after completing their registration. The more children per family, the larger the amount becomes.
4. Social policies and family support programmes
With the new income from Guyana’s oil boom, the government is focusing on using part of that wealth to directly support families. Starting in 2025, the child’s guardian can claim an additional tax deduction each month for every child. Additionally, there is a Working Parents Child Care Subsidy, which provides working parents with a $50,000 subsidy per child to cover child care expenses for three months.
