Education is compulsory for children aged five to fourteen. About 65% of elementary school children continue to secondary school. The literacy rate is high. Guyana has two technical schools and a university, the University of Guyana. Schools are under-funded and lack adequate facilities, equipment and supplies. Many qualified teachers have left Guyana. Private Guyanese organizations and individuals donate basic supplies and arrange for foreign teachers to tutor students in Guyana during summer holidays.
New Guyanese students in Canada find many differences at first. They may not be used to libraries full of books, laboratories full of science equipment, gyms full of sporting gear, up-to-date computer labs and opportunities to become involved in a range of extra-curricular activities. In 1976 the government of Guyana made education free from kindergarten to university. Secondary school students have three choices: secondary high, which is mainly academic; multilateral, which is academic and technical; or community high, a vocational school. After the secondary school level, the academic students can choose to attend university.	Did you know? The brightest elementary students enter certain prestigious schools based on the results of a national entrance examination taken at age 11 or 12. National scholarship winners for university studies are usually graduates of these prestigious schools.
As well, there are trade schools such as the Government Technical Institute, the Guyana Industrial Trading Centre and the Carnegie School for Home Economics. The government runs adult education programs aimed at upgrading skills to help adults get the necessary qualifications for entrance to the University of Guyana or to universities overseas.