Outlying regions urged to take advantage of GOAL scholarships

– countrywide outreach planned to target outlying areas

In an effort to ensure that Guyanese from all ten administrative regions take full advantage of the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship programme, several outreaches have been planned in outlying regions.
One such outreach was held for persons along the Corentyne on Friday.
GOAL’s Enrolment Manager, Phillipe Walker, stated that while the response to the programme has been overwhelming, the majority of the applications that are being processed are from the coastland when compared to the other regions.
As such, he explained that the objective of the outreach is to ensure that when the selection process commences, there is proportional representation from all the regions.

GOAL is an initiative launched by the Government of Guyana to provide 20,000 scholarships to Guyanese to pursue online, tertiary-level programmes via partnerships with reputable universities around the world.
According to Walker, more than 100 persons in Region Six turned up at the outreach and many of them signed up for different programmes.
Freeza Khan of Tain Village, Corentyne, wanted to use her technical certificate in electrical installation to further her studies in that field but instead, she chose to take up the supervisory management and wedding planning courses.
“I was doing electrical installation and wedding planning. If I get through to do the wedding planner of the supervisory management I would go ahead and do it but if not, I will continue to pursue electrical installation through somebody that knows,” she said.
Another applicant, Winston Profit, a teacher, said he applied for the degree programme in psychology and social work.
“I have a diploma in psychology from the American University and as a school teacher; this is what I normally do on a daily basis, dealing with children with different problems and issues. So, if I further my studies in this field, it would equip me better.”
Profit is encouraging others to take up courses under the GOAL scholarship programme.
“Upon completion of your degree or Master’s, it would help you with promotions wherever you are working so it is a good initiative that the Government is doing,” he added.
In addition, Gangapersaud Shivlochan – a Government part-time worker who is employed as a janitor at a school, applied for professional training in hotel and tourism.
He noted that while growing up, many did not place much emphasis on academics but as he got older, he realised the importance of being qualified.
“Those who did not do the best they could in their young days, at least now they can continue their studies and make something for themselves so this is good and something that is giving some of us a second chance,” he said.
Meanwhile, two similar outreaches are scheduled for today in Region Five (Mahaica-Berbice); one at the Bush Lot Secondary School and the other at Rosignol Secondary.
On Wednesday, the team will be at Leonora Secondary and Patentia Secondary School.
On Friday, the team will be back in Region Six at Tagore Memorial Secondary and Skeldon Line Path Secondary.