school system in guyana

EDUCATION IN GUYANA

Education in Guyana is among the best in the Caribbean and South America and literacy rates are high. School attendance is compulsory in Guyana from the ages of five to 16, however, most children start to attend primary school at age four.

There are public run and private institutions. Education in Guyana is free to to locals and foreign nationals at public nursery, primary and secondary schools. The country’s elite typically send their students outside of the country for post-secondary education.

THE SCHOOL SYSTEM

Day care and Kindergarten

Until the age of five, infants and young children in Guyana can attend a variety of non-compulsory daycare educational options such as play school, nursery or kindergarten. Parents or relatives can also look after them.

Primary Education in Guyana
It is not compulsory to attend primary school until age five. Students attend primary school for six years, until they are 11, where they gain basic skills such as reading, writing and arithmetic.

Secondary Education in Guyana
Good grades ensure positions at better secondary/high schools. After 3 years, students select one of multiple streams for their upper secondary education. Streams represent a selection of subjects based on a student’s academic interests.

After an additional 2 years students sit exams to receive a high school-leaving Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate. Optionally, students may choose to continue on to receive a Caribbean advanced proficiency certificate. Either certificate may be used to gain entrance to tertiary education.

Tertiary education in Guyana
After secondary school, students may elect to attend a technical/ vocational school or a higher-education institution in the form of a university. The majority are state funded. The University of Guyana was established to provide students with undergraduate and graduate qualifications. Tuition fees need to be paid at the public university level.

Guyanese school holidays

Some holiday periods are compulsory and set by the government, with little flexibility for schools to set their own dates. Schools are closed for 3 free periods throughout the year: Easter Holidays (2 weeks), August Holidays (6 weeks) and Christmas Holidays (2 weeks).

Tuition fees & educational costs in Guyana

Public education in Guyana is government funded and therefore mostly free. However, some schools may ask for a voluntary contribution to cover extracurricular activities. Private schools charge a tuition fees.

Learn more about the types of schools in Guyana.