Minister of Education, Technological and Vocational Training, Kay McConney, is concerned about the slow response by some tertiary students to Government’s Give Back programme.
Speaking during the Rotary Club of Barbados West’s Scholarship Award Ceremony in the Media Resources Department’s Auditorium yesterday, Ms. McConney cited statistics which revealed that for the academic year 2022-2023, 90 percent of students from The University of the West Indies and the Barbados Community College did not complete the stipulated 150 give back hours for full-time students and 100 hours for part-time students.
Ms. McConney insisted: “We have to be able to correct this. Not that it is a failing or fault of anyone, but I think that we have the opportunity to elevate volunteerism, and help us to help each other at a time when we all need, and giving back is just about our country taking care of each other.
“So, I want to encourage you students who are here today. Don’t be part of that statistic. We want to help you as you graduate as among those who chose to give back to the country, to family, and to community.”
The Minister reminded students that Government would continue to invest in educating its citizens, pointing out that they did not get here on their own because there were others who supported them at their schools, in their homes, and communities, and they had the “responsibility to give back”.
Ms. McConney added that education had the power to transform the lives of citizens and the Rotary Club of Barbados West’s Scholarship Award is assisting government to “do many things”.
“It is not just about what it is doing for the student, which is perhaps the most important thing in helping you to access education. When we look at it from a broader perspective, it is helping us to lower the barriers of access because for many people, money is a real and significant barrier.
“And, we thank the Rotary Club of Barbados West for its commitment to lowering the barriers to education. This commitment today (yesterday) is about partnership. It is about recognising that the Government of Barbados, the Ministry of Education, cannot do education all alone. We need partners like Rotary Club West to be a part of that; not only access is there, but that they are providing…tangible support that is going to manifest itself in the lives of these children,” the Education Minister stated.
This year’s recipients of the scholarship award are The University of the West Indies Cave Hill Campus students, Kynara Inniss, who is pursuing studies in Information Technology and Economics; Divine Inniss, a double Major in Biology and Chemistry; Tiana Belle, Biochemistry; and Chelsea Watson, Economics and Finance.
The awardees thanked the service organisation for the generous donation and each pledged to use their knowledge to assist with the future development of Barbados in the sciences, finance, and economics.