Policy Proposal: Strengthening Local Tertiary Institutions While Ensuring Free Education in Guyana

This article examines a policy proposal designed to create a balanced approach to free tertiary education in Guyana, emphasizing the importance of strengthening local tertiary institutions. The current funding model, which directs substantial government resources to foreign universities, places local institutions at a competitive disadvantage. This proposal advocates for a paradigm shift aimed at empowering local institutions by enhancing their infrastructure, fostering innovation, and incentivizing academic excellence. Drawing on successful global models from countries such as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, the proposal outlines a framework for developing a robust, sustainable, and competitive higher education system that can meet both national and international standards.