Cabinet has approved 345 national bursaries for the 2024 academic year, an increase from previous years.
Speaking at the Post Cabinet Media Briefing on Thursday, Minister of Tertiary Education and Skills Training, Professor Prakash Persad, stated that the expanded bursary programme is valued at over TT$51 million.
He emphasised that this is the Government’s commitment to ensuring that financial constraints do not hinder the academic aspirations of the nation’s youth.
The Minister also assured that the Government is actively working to place graduates in roles that align with their qualifications.
“We just want to remind parents and those who would have gotten their 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. And we want to give the assurance also that jobs, appropriate jobs, will be found for them in the Ministries so they can use their talent and skills and the education they have gotten.”
Looking ahead, Professor Persad revealed that the Ministry is developing a strategic framework to align bursary allocations with national development goals.
“We just can’t give bursaries for the sake of bursaries. Education for the purpose of development of the country. So we have started writing to the various Ministries and other bodies also, what will be the areas we go forward. As we go forward, there’s something called foresighted. When you look at what technology is going to be used, what industries will be coming, etcetera, to can train manpower for that. So that’s exactly what we do. We’re collecting data now, and hopefully by next year, the next set of bursaries, it’ll be more directed.”
The Minister also addressed concerns from the previous year, noting that an additional bursary is being awarded retroactively to correct a prior administrative oversight.
He also confirmed that students may defer their scholarships for up to one year, providing flexibility for those navigating personal or academic transitions.