The government has budgeted $316.5 million in 2026 to advance education and skills development for persons with disabilities (PWDs), including the construction of Guyana’s first school for people with autism at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE), the establishment of Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) centres in every region, and a SEND unit at Port Kaituma Primary school.
Finance Minister, Dr Ashni Singh, in his 2026 National Budget presentation to the National Assembly, revealed that more than 1,200 PWDs across multiple regions are expected to benefit from skills training this year and over 70 PWDs are targeted to receive entrepreneurial loans.
He noted that the government will continue partnering with the private sector and agencies to provide employment opportunities and full empowerment for PWDs.
In 2025, the government provided permanent disability benefits to over 26,700 PWDs, distributed a one-off cash grant of $50,000, expanded inclusive education and teacher training in Special Education Needs, retrofitted public facilities for accessibility, and completed Guyana’s first school for the hearing impaired at Cummings Lodge. Over 830 PWDs also accessed literacy and skills training last year.