Scholarship winners encouraged to give back to B’dos

THE six recipients of this year’s National Development Scholarships as well as the lone recipient of a Commonwealth Scholarship, have all been encouraged to return here and give back to Barbados on completion of their studies abroad.

Both Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones and Chief Education Officer, Karen Best, reminded the students of the need to “give back”, during a brief ceremony held in the Education Ministry’s conference room yesterday, to announce the scholarships.

“Thank you for applying for the National Development Scholarships and the Commonwealth Scholarship, because you are going to make a difference in the lives of Barbadians. You have been chosen because the National Development Scholarships are scholarships in areas of need and your area of study has been determined as one of need,” Karen Best told the scholarship recipients.

“Congratulations to you. I want you to do your best. Remember that Barbados is depending on you. I know some of you on these scholarships do the studying and then you get an offer. I am not going to stop you from accepting the offer. I will not deter you, but as soon as you get the opportunity, come back to Barbados and give back,” Best added.

Education Minister Ronald Jones, however, sought to clear the air about the responsibility of the scholarship winners, who are bonded to these scholarships.

“As the Chief was saying, the National Development Scholarship is geared to those areas which we consider to be of significance to the national development of Barbados,” he noted.

He then added, “I disagree with the Chief. Yes there are offers made to you, but you are not to accept those offers when you have finished studying. If you do, you pay back the State. That is what happens.”

“There is nothing which says that you cannot stay [abroad], but you are bonded in these scholarships and once you can’t satisfy the bond, then we take the money back from you… because as a small developing country, we just can’t provide you with the support that you will get for these scholarships and then you stay and work for somebody else. We need you here. That is why you are granted these scholarships,” Jones explained, pointing out that the money the state is expending to award these scholarships, is quite substantial.

The diverse areas of need covered by the scholarships include clinical neuropsychiatry, forensic accounting, sports psychology, music, animal science, occupational safety and health, and human rights and criminal justice. (RSM)