Cabinet approves scholarships

Education Minister Anthony Garcia yesterday disclosed that Cabinet has approved the award of national scholarships to six students who requested a review of their results.

He made this disclosure in the House of Representatives. Garcia said a total of 153 people and 224 people received Open and Additional Scholarships in last year’s Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examinations (CAPE).

He explained the Caribbean Examinations Council, which sets and marks CAPE subjects, allows requests for review of results at different levels. Garcia said 45 people submitted such requests. On this basis, Garcia said Cabinet approved the award of scholarships in Natural Science to Janardan Mahabir and D’Nae Bartholomew. In addition, Garcia said Vikash Surujbally, Kristal Manboadh, Jeremy Ramjohn and Karishma Balsingh in Humanities have been upgraded by Cabinet to Open National Scholarships in Natural Sciences.

Noting that 2,000 people have been awarded scholarships on the basis of their CAPE results over the last five years, Garcia said the National Scholarship Programme “has been a shining jewel of our education system since the first years of our independence.” Successive administrations had supported this programme despite the economic circumstances facing TT.

“This government will do no less than its best to keep rewarding our students who demonstrate the potential and discipline which produce such commendable results,” he declared.

Earlier in the sitting, Garcia said $84 million has been paid to settle some of the outstanding debts owed to school feeding caterers. This accounted for 60 per cent of the debt and efforts are being made to pay the remaining 40 per cent, he said..