BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - A plea to young people in the Federation was issued this morning (Dec. 9) by the Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Premier in the Nevis Island Administration – the Hon. Mark Brantley - to capitalise on opportunities being provided them to access free tertiary education.
Brantley was at the time presenting his part of the Budget 2017 Debate, during which he gave an overview of the strides made to strengthen the relationship between the Federation and other countries.
He explained that those relationships have given birth to educational opportunities but, unfortunately, the response to some has not been as expected.
“This year alone we were able to persuade the Government of Morocco to offer 20 scholarships to the youth of St. Kitts and Nevis and I’m sad to report that the uptake has not been what we would like.
“Most of the scholarships are being offered and when I go back they say to me, ‘But you said you wanted training and we offered you free training and you have not taken up the offer.’”
Brantley said his belief in the advancement of the Federation’s human resource is one of the driving factors behind his search for educational opportunities during bilateral and multilateral meetings with international and regional colleagues.
“I firmly believe that investing in our human resource is one of the greatest investments we can make. That is why in my engagements with counterparts, both in multilateral and bilateral meetings when they visit us and when we visit them, I keep stressing training, training, training opportunities for our students abroad.
“I am aware that some of our students have some concerns about travelling to places perceived to be too far. I get that complaint all the time. But I’m asking them and their families: ‘When you think that you can access a free education, free, free education?’ Whether it be in Georgia, in Morocco, in Switzerland, in New Zealand, in Taiwan, in Israel, in Cuba...wherever it may be it is free, free.”
Brantley said such opportunities remove the burden of loan repayment constrictions and provide opportunities of the youth of St. Kitts and Nevis to become exposed to the cultures of different countries.
“And it allows you to get an education at no cost to yourself and your family. Compare yourself then with those students whose families have to go mortgage their house, go to the bank, Development Bank or otherwise, come back and have tremendous student loans to pay. I’m asking our people to take advantage.”
The Foreign Affairs Minister informed that he was able to advance his education through scholarship and he is encouraging “our young people again to seize these opportunities. Don’t let them go begging. Don’t be going around forcing your parents and your friends and your loved ones to incur high debt to educate you when you could get it for free”.
Brantley told SKNVibes that Taiwan, Georgia in Europe, Switzerland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Mexico are among the countries that began offering or continue to offer scholarship opportunities to St. Kitts and Nevis.
