Opposition MP Hem Chand has called on the Government to increase funding for the Free Education Grant, warning that schools, particularly in rural, remote and maritime communities, are struggling to provide quality learning environments.
Speaking during the 2026-2027 Budget debate in Parliament yesterday, Chand said education must remain a national priority, urging the Government to introduce innovative initiatives to protect students and secure their future.
He said children are the country’s greatest resource and stressed the need to ensure every child has access to education to prevent more young people from ending up on the streets and becoming vulnerable to crime.
Chand noted that the Budget allocates $64 million for the Free Education Grant, benefiting more than 225,000 students.
However, he pointed out that while the grant formula was last revised before the Back-to-School Support Grant was introduced in 2023, the amount of funding schools receive has remained unchanged.
He said many small schools, especially those in rural, remote and outer island communities, continue to face significant challenges in providing modern teaching and learning resources and maintaining a conducive learning environment because they receive substantially lower grant funding.
Chand argued that failing to increase the Free Education Grant effectively shifts more of the financial burden onto schools and parents, despite rising costs. He urged the Government to review the funding formula to ensure schools are adequately resourced to meet students’ educational needs.
