By Sue-Ann Wayow

MORE than 300 bursaries will be awarded this year to students wanting to pursue tertiary level education to the value of approximately $51 million.

Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training Prof Prakash Persad made the announcement on Thursday during a post-Cabinet media briefing at the Diplomatic Centre in St Ann’s.

He said 345 persons will be awarded bursaries, a higher number than in previous years.

Last year, 277 received national bursaries and in 2023, 280 persons were successful.

Persad said there was also a mix-up last year and therefore additional bursaries were being awarded as well.

He said the number was to mitigate complaints of bursaries being available but not given.

“All those who met the criteria were given bursaries” Prof Persad said adding that government was committed to transparency.

He said, “We want to remind parents and those who would have gotten the bursaries that they need to sign up to remain and work in Trinidad for some period of time to satisfy the requirements of the bursary.

“We want to give the assurance also that appropriate jobs will be formed for them in the ministry so they can use their talent and skills and the education they would have gotten.”

The minister said he hoped both parents and students were pleased with their bursaries and that there was the option to defer the scholarship opportunity for up to one year before taking their place at university.

Prof Persad said data was being collected presently to further award bursaries based on the country’s employment needs.

“By next year, the next set of bursaries would be more directed,” he said.

He said with the evolving world, technology, automation, Artificial Intelligence and robotics were becoming more popular.