BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – AFTER being informed that she was selected the 2011 National Scholar for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), an elated Orngel Erskine immediately informed not only her parents, relatives and friends residing in St. Kitts and Nevis, but also her overseas-based maternal and paternal grandparents as well as her extended family.
Her jubilation was however short-lived, as one day before graduating from the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) she was informed by telephone that she was no longer the National Scholar (TVET).
Speaking with SKNVibes, Erskine, who graduated from the CFBC on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 after completing the Hospitality Studies programme, said she was informed by mail and telephone that she was selected the National Scholar (TVET) for 2011.
She noted that the letter, dated November 16, 2011 and signed by the Registrar, Darlene Inniss, stated that she was the proud recipient of “The Nathaniel-John Hospitality Studies & Culinary Arts Award for Best Results” and was invited to attend the 24th Annual Cable & Wireless dba LIME/CIC Academic Excellence Awards ceremony held at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Friday (Nov. 18).
Erskine said prior to receipt of the letter, the Registrar, on Tuesday (Nov. 14), had notified her by telephone of her success and invitation to the awards ceremony.
“I attended the ceremony in the company of my mother and father, and together we discussed plans for my future development now that I was offered a scholarship. I have set goals and, even before enrolling at the College, one of them was to further my studies in this discipline after graduation.
“I am not from a wealthy family, and I have been contemplating on accessing a loan from the Development Bank. However, I was jubilant on hearing that I was awarded a scholarship and will no longer have to worry about a student loan repayment plan in the future. But, this and other related plans have been torn to shreds when I learned one day before graduation that I was no longer the National Scholar,” Erskine said.
The 19-year-old scholar also spoke to the degree of embarrassment caused by the management of the CFBC.
“On receipt of that message, I was shocked, dejected and embarrassed, because I had already informed my family and friends of my success. My boss and fellow workers were also informed, and the gravity of embarrassment was intensified after my short-lived success was published in the daily organ of the St. Kitts Marriott Resort and subsequently removed, which led to many questions from my workmates.”
Erskine acknowledged that humans do make mistakes, but noted that it took management approximately seven days to realise she was not the winner of the scholarship and an error of such nature is not expected from an institution of such caliber.
“They told me that I was the Runner-up to the National Scholar. The entire situation would lead any right-thinking person to conclude that something other than a mistake was amiss. However, this will not deter me from achieving my set goals, but it is very hard to face up to the embarrassment they have caused me.”
When contacted, CFBC’s President Dr. Hermia Morton-Anthony told SKNVibes that an error was made and it was only realised two days before the graduation ceremony.
“This year an initial error was made in identifying the TVET Scholar. A final review of the list of qualifying students for the academic honours categories revealed that the data set was incomplete. The review also revealed that a student, other than the graduate originally identified, was the TVET Scholar. The College moved speedily to correct the error which was realised only two days before the graduation ceremony was held.
“The information regarding the changes in the order of the TVET Scholar and Runner-up was communicated to the graduands affected. The College regrets the error which was caused by a combination of human error and technological failure and is reviewing its procedures to safeguard against similar errors in the future,” Dr. Morton-Anthony said.
The dejected scholar’s father, Nigel Erskine, is also of the view that something was amiss.
“Why did it take them so long to realise that my daughter was no longer the National Scholar? I am quite certain that a system is in place whereby all assessments, tests and first year examination are tabulated and recorded.
"Therefore, if it were a fact that the error was caused by a combination of human error and technological failure, as stated by the president, then Orngel should not be made to suffer the indignity of embarrassment. At least, the Board of Directors should compensate her with half of a scholarship,” the senior Erskine opined.
He also noted that the programme for the CFBC’s 23rd Commencement Ceremony did not mention the names of the National Scholar and Runner-up.
“The names of my daughter and Xia-Xiang Claxton were both printed on the programme but subsequently white-out. When I saw the programme and noticed that her name was not mentioned under the Awards and Prizes category, I carefully examined it and realised they had it concealed under the liquid of white-out. So, I used my fingernails and gently scraped at the white-out and both names were there. This also led me to conclude that something was amiss.”
The National TVET Scholarship is offered each year to the student who scores the highest Grade Point Average in the Division of Technical and Vocational Education and Management Studies at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College.
