Over the past four years, the People’s Progressive Party/Civic (PPP/C) government has increased investment in education across hinterland communities, resulting in the construction of dozens of new schools and the expansion of internet connectivity to boost learning access for thousands of children.
Addressing indigenous leaders at the opening of the 2025 National Toshaos Council (NTC) Conference on Monday, President Dr. Irfaan Ali revealed that 79 new schools were constructed in hinterland communities over the last four years.
“We have in the last four years built 79 new schools in hinterland communities. We have renovated completely 27, and if that was not good enough, this year stands out because we have 54 schools under construction across our hinterland communities,” he said.
The president outlined the government’s push toward universal secondary education in the hinterland. He added, “When we speak about universal secondary education, we are not speaking in a vacuum. Out of those (schools under construction), 16 are new secondary schools.”
While President Ali disclosed the number of schools built and currently under construction in the hinterland communities, he did not reveal the overall cost for these projects.
In addition to physical infrastructure, the president highlighted the growing integration of technology in hinterland schools.
“When you look at ICT access…we are going to continue this investment and this matters because it’s part of equity,” Ali said. The president stated that through the use of low-earth orbit satellite technology, 158 schools have been connected to high-speed internet, expanding access to educational content and resources, including the Guyana Learning Channel.
He also reported that thousands of students in Regions One, Seven, Eight, and Nine are now benefitting from improved access to the Guyana Learning Channel and school libraries.
In Region One alone, President Ali noted that there are 53 schools connected to the learning channel, helping more than 11,000 children in that region. He added, “In Region Seven, we have 37 schools connected benefiting more than 7000 children. In Region 8, 30 schools connected benefiting more than 3000 children. In Region 9, 54 schools connected, benefiting almost 8000 students.”
Notably, it was disclosed that 70% of schools in the hinterland now have their own libraries, a development that President Ali said supports the traditionally strong reading culture of Indigenous communities.
“We are not speaking about development and transformation in a vacuum. We can point to every sphere of national life and demonstrate to you how we’ve invested, and what the investment would have led to,” he told the gathering.
NTC is being held at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC) and brings together Indigenous leaders from across Guyana to discuss key issues affecting their communities. The conference will last for five-days.
