FREE EDUCATION AT THE

UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA

Background of the Study

Introduction
Free education is tuition paid for without charge by the government or charitable groups.
(UNESCO, 2020) According to (Ablison, 2021) the idea of free education is that, everyone should
have equal access to a quality education without having to pay for it. Often, higher education at
the college or university level is meant by this. For many years, politics in many nations, including
Guyana, has been dominated by the subject of college education and its expenses. While some
nations offer free or heavily subsidized higher education, others, like the United States of America
and Great Britain, permit schools to charge relatively high fees for their programs of study.
History of free education at the
University of Guyana
The government introduced this strategy at the University of Guyana (UG) to give Guyanese
students more access to higher education. This program was initially implemented in 1976;
however, from 1999 to 2011, the right to a free university education was removed. (University of
Guyana history, 2021) To address the inequalities in access to higher education in Guyana, free
education was implemented at UG in part for this purpose back then. Before UG was founded,
Guyana students, especially those from low-income homes, had few options for pursuing higher
education. All Guyana students, regardless of socioeconomic status, now had more access to
higher education thanks to the establishment of free education at UG around that time.
(University of Guyana history, 2021)
History of free education at the
University of Guyana
A national vision to build an educated and literate society, based on historical experiences of the people
as told from their perspective, and creating the necessary knowledge and skills needed for development
was the backdrop against which free education from nursery school to university was introduced in
1976. (World Bank,2019) When the government of Guyana resolved to make all education universal up
to the tertiary level and tuition-free, it also registered and started a policy to boost the intellectual
capacity of its people.

The year 1976 is significant historically since it was the first year that colonial rulers made primary
education mandatory. (World Bank,2019) As time changes so does society and recognizing that
development has now become an integral part of an independent government’s responsibility, there
existed a number of challenges. Among these challenges are economic and socio-political issues.
History of free education at the
University of Guyana
Free education also made it possible for untrained educators to receive the training they needed
to become professionals and raise the standard of teaching. Since equal opportunity helped to
unleash and improve academic or technical potential, free education contributed to the social
level of a more literate and informed society. (Ablison, 2021) Economically, the society and its
citizens profited from an expanding pool of skilled craftspeople, researchers, and medical
professionals, to name a few.
 Potential Problems with free
university education
In the late 1800s, many countries began to create laws and policies requiring all children to get a free,
compulsory education. (Ablison, 2021) This was motivated by the idea that a well-educated and informed
population was essential for the progress of economic and social conditions. Yet from 1999 to 2011, there
were certain issues with the provision of free education at UG. The university's lack of money was one of the
major issues. Despite the government's commitment to supporting UG, the institution encountered financial
difficulties that limited its ability to offer students a high-quality education. Due to worries about the long-
term sustainability of free education at UG, this led to the then government instituting UG tuition fees, which
it claimed was a result of the "Economic downturn." (Kaieteur Article, 2019) The idea of reintroducing free
education at the University of Guyana has been controversial, with ongoing discussions over how it should be
funded and how to ensure educational quality. While many countries have passed laws and programs to offer
free or low-cost education, the idea has been controversial.
CONSIDERATIONS

Free education is a difficult and continuous topic of discussion that raises a

number of significant issues, including accessibility, price, and quality. Free
education may seem wonderful, but it's important to weigh the advantages and
disadvantages before making a choice. To guarantee that all Guyana students
have the best possible higher education, it is crucial for the government to keep
giving UG funding top priority.
Potentially implementing free
higher education by end of
government term 2025
Since, the current government stated in their manifesto that free education at the university will
be reintroduced by the end of the government term, the issues arises if this action will be overall
beneficial to Guyanese students or do more damage in the long run.
REFERENCES
World Bank. (2019). Guyana: Higher Education Policy Note. Retrieved from
https://documents.worldbank.org/en/publication/documents-reports/documentdetail/
270781559810867914/guyana-higher-education-policy-note
University of Guyana. (2021). History. Retrieved from https://uog.edu.gy/about-uog/history
Ablison. (2021, October 3). Ablison. Retrieved from Ablison Web site:
https://www.ablison.com/important-pros-and-cons-of-free-education/#history-of-free-education
Desai, V. G. (2013, September 5). Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from Hbr.org:
https://hbr.org/2013/09/higher-education-for-free
Brenda. (2018, May 1). Bestwritingclues. Retrieved from BestWritingClues.com:
https://bestwritingsclues.com/education/why-college-should-not-be-free-6-reasons/#comment-175
22
UNESCO. (2020, November 26). UNESCO. Retrieved from uis.unesco.org:
http://uis.unesco.org/en/glossary-term/free-education