Minister within the Ministry of Housing and Water, Susan Rodrigues said Guyanese have no reason not to sign up for the Government’s 20,000 online scholarship initiative, as some programmes require little to no formal academic qualification.
Minister Rodrigues was at the time speaking to residents of Campbellville and surrounding areas at the launch of the initiative at the Rama Krishna Primary School, Middleton Street, Georgetown, on Tuesday, the Department of Public Information reported. The programme is being administered by the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL).
She encouraged residents to make full use of the opportunities presented by the Government to educate themselves.
“Of the over 80 programmes that are available in this scholarship, there is something for everyone. Whether you have CXC, a first degree or whether you have no formal education or education, there is something for everyone and it ranges from a certificate programme that will last for about six months to a PhD that take four years.”
Minister Rodrigues said the administration is educating citizens in preparation for the transformation Guyana will experience through the oil and gas and other sectors.
“If we do not be a responsible Government and if we don’t prepare our people for what is to come, we would have failed you,” she said.
In addition to the formal programmes, the GOAL initiative also offers the Bachelor’s Preparation Programme, a specially designed six-month course catering for persons who were unable to complete their secondary education. Once successfully completed, persons can move on to pursue a Bachelor’s degree of their choice.
A number of students within the community took the opportunity to sign up for the scholarship programme, which was conceptualised by President Dr. Mohamed Irfaan Ali and included in the PPP/C administration.
Prospective student, Ms. Delicia Pompey lauded the initiative, which she said, will give persons the opportunity to further their education free of cost. She is encouraging persons to sign up before the May 22, 2021 deadline.
“I am very happy with this initiative that the Government has chosen to actually help young people and even the older ones that are not financially stable to deal with education and the finances that comes with…. Education, you know that persons find it hard to get, so if you have an opportunity to catch free education, I think you should grab it,” she said.
Close to 3,500 applications are currently being processed by GOAL, the institution that will be managing the overall operational and functional components of the scholarship initiative.
The applications represent online and in person submissions from the ten Administrative regions for 108 programmes, which are being offered by five international universities.
