Each year, I eagerly anticipate the publishing of the list of categories for National Development Scholarships. The list is very important to me because it reveals what our leaders see as the sectors, skills and areas of excellence that are needed to build and sustain Barbados in the future.
Over the last 12 months, the Government has been having significant challenges in the area of finances; so much so that one of the areas affected by the cost-cutting measures is that of tertiary education. As I try to follow the effect the management of the economy is having on the country, it caused me to ask whether the scholarship list would also be affected.
From around the middle of May, I have been searching the newspapers to see if the list was published since it normally is released at any time after the middle of the month but I was unable to find it; not that it wasn’t published.
On Tuesday afternoon, I checked the Government Information Service website and was able to find the list, which was published on May 21. I was pleased to see that Barbadians will indeed have an opportunity to further their education but was disappointed at how short the list was.
Many may argue that it is unreasonable to expect the list to be as long as years past, due to the financial situation of the country, but I beg to differ. Barbadians who receive these scholarships return home and contribute significantly to its development. Some of the non-essential and irrelevant programmes and organisations the Government continues to finance in these uncomfortable economic times, should be put on hold in support of educational development. We must get our priorities right.
The website states that the following areas are being awarded for scholarships: architectural conservation, clinical microbiology, diabetic neuropathy, innovation policy creation, renewable energy technology, entrepreneurship – new ventures creation, forensic pathology and waste management.
I have no idea how many scholarships in total are given, but the list above in my opinion is too short and restrictive, with only eight areas.
Let’s take a look at last year’s list:
• Agriculture – sustainable agriculture; water resources management, environmental change and food security, animal nutrition, morphologic veterinary pathology and food technology.
• Allied health – nursing, pharmacy, occupational safety and health, disability studies, venereology, orthoptics, podiatry, occupational therapy, nutrition and dietetics, community psychology, clinical social work, forensic psychology, drug and alcohol studies, health economics and radiography.
• Culture studies – conservation, curational studies, cinema and media studies, design for theatre and entertainment media, and animation.
• Education – interpreter training for the hearing impaired, curriculum development for competence based on education and training, curriculum design and instruction, clinical/behavioural psychology, and education and development.
• Environmental studies – environmental pollution control, while aviation law should be the focus of students applying for scholarships in legal studies.
• Management studies – facilities and environment management, contract administration, procurement management, maritime and maritime safety administration, economic crime management, knowledge management, entrepreneurship – new ventures creation and forensic accounting.
• Medicine – clinical chemistry and clinical microbiology.
• Physical development – fire safety engineering, structural engineering, electrical engineering – solar technology, geotechnical engineering, automotive/mechanical engineering, marine engineering and renewable energy.
• Science and technology – innovation, creativity and leadership; quality assurance, bio-technology, computer security or computer forensics.
• Tourism – heritage and cultural tourism.
What I find very amazing is that this year only eight areas are on the list for 2014 as compared to 57 for 2013.
• Corey Worrell is a former Commonwealth Youth Ambassador.