Approximately 3,876 Guyanese will be graduating at the Guyana Online Academy of Learning’s (GOAL) 4th graduation ceremony, which got underway at the National Cultural Centre (NCC) in Georgetown on Tuesday.
A total of 2,858 persons graduating are women, while the remaining 1,018 are men. The first half of the ceremony will see the distribution of certificates in different programmes and bachelor’s degrees. Students who completed their master’s degree and other higher education will walk the stage during the afternoon session.
Delivering the feature address during the first half of the ceremony, Prime Minister Brigadier (Ret’d) Mark Phillips said the occasion represents more than individual accomplishment.
“It is also an important occasion for Guyana because your success goes beyond individual achievement, reflecting Guyana’s commitment to investing in its people and creating opportunities that were once beyond the reach of many,” he said.
Established in 2021, the GOAL Scholarships programme was launched to provide Guyanese with greater access to quality online education. The aim then was to award 20,000 scholarships between 2021 and 2025.
However, GOAL has surpassed that target, awarding 54,793 scholarships to date, PM Phillips disclosed.
The government implemented several measures to ensure citizens in every region could benefit from all the GOAL courses offered.
Among those initiatives was the expansion of internet connectivity to communities nationwide, particularly in hinterland regions.
The prime minister said these investments have contributed significantly to GOAL’s success.
Behind every scholarship there is a story,” he said. “Among you, we have many mothers who have returned to their studies after years away from the classroom, young men and women who discovered new paths and decided they wanted to pursue them, and people from hinterland communities who no longer see geography as a barrier to opportunity.”
The ceremony also recognised graduates of the Getting Ready for Opportunities to Work (GROW) Programme, with 1,150 persons completing their studies.
The GROW initiative was designed to support individuals who dropped out of secondary school, were unable to sit the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examinations, or did not achieve their desired results.
Between 2021 and 2026, some 14,884 Guyanese received scholarships for GROW. Of that number, 4,291 have completed their studies, while 2,538 have advanced to bachelor’s degree programmes.
The prime minister said the figures demonstrate that talent exists in every region and that success often depends on access to opportunities.
Additionally, among this year’s graduates were 1,308 individuals from vocational and certificate programmes, which focus on developing practical skills and improving employability.
The graduating class also included 76 students who completed the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) Foundation Course and 61 cadets who earned Associate Degrees in Maritime Transportation.
Minister of Education Sonia Parag outlined the programme’s nationwide reach, noting that all 10 administrative regions were represented among the graduates.
The breakdown of graduates by region is as follows:
Region One – 99
Region Two – 185
Region Three – 609
Region Four – 2004
Region Five – 191
Region Six – 350
Region Seven – 62
Region Eight – 33
Region Nine- 82
Region Ten – 261
The education minister praised their determination and resilience, saying, “It takes courage to return to the classroom. It takes courage to say I am going to try again. It takes courage to study while working, while raising children, while managing responsibilities and while sometimes carrying the weight of people who have doubted you for a long time.”
She added, “But today no one can take this from you. No negative comment, no criticism, no bad wish and no attempt to make you feel small can remove the education you now carry.”
The graduates were encouraged to continue pursuing further studies through GOAL upon completion of every programme.