Of all the opportunities created for the advancement of Guyana’s Indigenous people, unlimited access to education at all levels stands out as the most unprecedented of them all. This was one of the main points proffered by Minister of Amerindian Affairs, Sarah Browne-Shadeek, during her contribution to the 2026 budget debates on Tuesday in the National Assembly.
She shared that to date, 3,900 residents of Regions 1, 7, 8 and 9 are proud recipients of GOAL scholarships. The minister further noted that programmes offered on the Coursera platform, as well as free tuition at the University of Guyana, have made the academic dreams of indigenous people not just attainable, but a guarantee for generations to come.
Minister Browne-Shadeek also praised the government for arming her ministry with the fiscal space to build 83 new schools in Regions 1, 7, 8, and 9 in the last five years.
While educational opportunities are now abundant, the parliamentarian said that hinterland scholarships remain a priority for her ministry.
“Last year alone, Mr Speaker, 543 students benefited from scholarships. This would have placed…a total of more than $44,354,000 directly into the pockets of our scholarship students,” said the minister.
In the 2026 budget, the minister said the government has demonstrated its commitment to the advancement of indigenous people as it increases the pocket allowance for the scholarship programme by 150%. “This represents…an increase from $4,000 to $10,000 per student per month, in addition to all we are already receiving from the Ministry of Education,” the minister said.
With the foregoing, among other budgetary measures taken into account, Minister Browne-Shadeek said indigenous people are poised to expand their contributions to Guyana’s social and economic transformation.