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| From left to right; Gregory Hazzard, Member of the Scholarship Committee of the Rotary Club of Barbados West; Minister of Education and Human Resource Develop, Ronald Jones; Adeline Lister, Sales and Marketing Manager of Diamonds International, Mark Thompson, President of the Rotary Club of Barbados West, Ingrid Gaskin, scholarship recipient 2011; Jenise Hurley, scholarship recipient 2011; David Clement, Tertiary Section of the Ministry of Education and Joe Steinbok, Chairman of the Scholarship Committee. (A.Miller/BGIS) |
The cost of tertiary education is high and despite the Barbadian Government subsiding the cost of tuition, students are still required to bear numerous other expenses.
It is for this reason that Minister of Education and Human Resource Development, Ronald Jones, has lauded the continuous support of the Rotary Club of Barbados West in its annual provision of scholarships to ???much deserved students’.
He was speaking today at a presentation ceremony held for the recipients of the Rotary Club of Barbados West Scholarships at his office at the Elsie Payne Complex, Constitution Road, St. Michael.
Congratulating Ingrid Gaskin and Jenise Hurley on receiving the scholarships, the Minister noted that the contribution of $15,000 each should go a long way toward helping them pursue their studies.
He explained: "While you are a student, there are so many other needs besides tuition that must be satisfied.?? Books are not cheap and you cannot spend every single waking moment in the library, so the purchasing of adequate reading material is necessary.??
"You still have to be transported to and from the facility. There are small charges such as the amenities and guild fees that must be paid…. So, when you look [at education] there is still a cost [the student has] to carry.?? So any support given to deserving students is always welcomed," he said.
Lauding the Rotary Club of Barbados West for a decade of scholarship support to students who excelled, but were in need of assistance, the Education Minister described the club’s scholarships as "unique and of substance".
He acknowledged that the scholarship funds were raised by the club hosting golf games, with those funds being placed in a bank account and the interest used to provide the scholarships.??
Minister Jones also commended Diamonds International and the Sandy Lane Resort for their support in assisting the Rotary Club of Barbados West in this worthy endeavour.
"There are several scholarships that are around, some we could access from overseas and others provided locally, but the Rotary West’s scholarship is unique and has real substance to it.?? That is why the Ministry always associates with this scholarship," he said.
To the scholarship winners, the Education Minister said: "That which is given should always be appreciated. The greatest appreciation that you young students can give would be to excel in your areas of study."
Scholarship recipient, Jenise Hurley, gave thanks to God, her aunt and her family for their support. The tourism and management student said her aunt encouraged her to apply and "no words could express how I felt when I received the call informing me that I was successful".
The 20-year-old former Alexandra student also thanked the Rotary Club of Barbados West, Diamonds International and Sandy Lane for "helping individuals like me to accomplish our dreams".
Twenty-year-old Ingrid Gaskin, a first year accounting student at the University of the West Indies, pledged to take the scholarship seriously and to join the Club on completion of her studies.
The former Springer Memorial Secondary School student also expressed gratitude to her adopted family for their support and said her only regret "is that my adopted father, Gline Sealy, is not alive to share this moment with us".