IT’S A DEBATE that has been ongoing for at least the last quarter of a century, and unless those with the requisite information have an open and frank discussion with the population, it will probably continue for another 25 years, with the names of many innocent Barbadians being sullied in the process — and unnecessarily so.
We are talking about the long-established practice in Barbados of awarding national scholarships and exhibitions each year to the country’s most successful students in academic streams. And with each round of awards the question is raised about whether or not the country is getting its money’s worth.
Without doubt it is an expensive undertaking by taxpayers, if for no other reason than that the recipients often attend some of the world’s most prestigious universities and undertake some of the most costly programmes of study. And while it is known that persons embarking on these state-sponsored programmes must sign a bond to return to the country and work for a period equivalent to the time of their study, it is a commonly held view that a significant number never return.
It is this view that has left far too many Barbadians convinced that those who benefit most contribute the least — in the process, rightly or wrongly, tarnishing the reputations of many an innocent recipient.
We believe it is time that the Ministry of Education, if it has been tracking the progress of recipients, share with the country the data it has collected. If it has not, then it needs to start collecting the information. This is important because it is normal for bonded persons to be given the option of repaying the money spent on them if for any reason they are not prepared to serve out the time.
If a student opts to take such a course of action then that individual owes the country nothing and should not be lumped with the recalcitrant who for selfish reasons determine that they are not returning since they did not beg for scholarships and therefore owe no one anything.
We are also of the view that while individual students in the secondary school system who work hard for years to qualify for a scholarship should not be deprived of the opportunity, it is time to institute systems that nudge those seeking scholarships in particular directions. As is the case with National Development Scholarships, it is time we start matching the award of scholarships and exhibitions with the developmental needs or projected development paths of the country.
It no longer makes sense, as far as we are concerned, to award national scholarships for persons to become lawyers, for example. Maybe a better course of action might be to cover the costs for specific types of law studies that coincide with the needs of the country. Do we really need to fund the addition of more criminal lawyers to the Bar at this time?
We also believe there is tremendous merit in directing more of our tertiary education funds toward young Barbadians in technical streams — although we are not necessarily convinced that it has to be at the expense of persons who benefit from the established approach.
However, in the current times of economic scarcity we would also admonish Government to look at the issue of means testing when it comes to awarding scholarships. When money is flowing freely there is little reason for concern, but when the country now measures carefully everything else it dispenses, one can’t help but wonder how much fairness there is in providing 100 per cent funding for children from households that feel little to no strain.
