By Chantalé Fletcher
GOVERNMENT plans on investing in the enhancement of post-secondary education in Trinidad and Tobago.
Leader of Government Business Clarence Rambharat made the statement in the Senate on Wednesday.
He was answering a question by Opposition Senator Wade Mark based on the National Bursaries programme, which presented opportunities for more strategic rationalisation on behalf of the Minister of Education Nyan Gadbsy-Dolly.
Rambharat said, “The aim is to focus government investment in post-secondary education, which includes a monthly stipend, annually book allowance, and 100% GATE (Government Assisted Tuition Expenses programme) on a wide range of subject areas needed for the country’s development.”
He said this approach was distinct from the scholarship programme as the money is spent in the areas chosen by the recipients.
The minister said, “With respect to tertiary level education, in keeping with vision 2030, the national development strategy, the Ministry of education is committed to ensuring available funding mechanisms align to training which contributes to national development priorities labor market demands on entrepreneurial growth.”
He said, “Based on the Ministry of Education, 42% of the scholars from 2010 to 2015 pursued studies in medicine and health. Twenty percent in engineering and technology, 13% in science and technology, 8% in humanities and education, 5% in natural sciences and 12% in social sciences.”
“While the government recognises that healthcare professionals are important and continue to remain in demand, there are many other areas of study which are equally important and critically required for the holistic development of Trinidad and Tobago in accordance with vision 2030,” Rambharat stated.
In addition, he said, the national bursary programme therefore allows funding to be directed to those other areas, as well as to medicine and health.
The minister further explained that, “The strategic realisation to which the minister refers speaks to the fact that that under the National Bursary programme. One of the investment criteria is the alignment of the applicants intended course of study with the priority areas of study as identified in the development needs list of the Ministry of Planning.”
Mark asked which agencies will be responsible for the disbursement of these bursaries, however, the question was not allowed by President of the Senate Christine Kangaloo.
