UG offers BCB scholarships for deserving cricketers

– Elite UG cricket team to receive $100,000 in gear

“Every week of the year, the Berbice Cricket Board has strived to come up with a new idea towards the positive development of cricket in the county. We strongly believe in the promotion of education among sportsmen, as it not only guarantees them a life after cricket, but also allows them to think on the field of play at a faster rate”.
Those were the words of BCB President Hilbert Foster at the launching of the two educational scholarships at the Tain campus of the University of Guyana. The scholarships are part of an agreement between the BCB and the University of Guyana towards the development of the game on and off the cricket field.
Foster has said the scholarships are an inspiring move for sports and education, as it is very important for youths to understand that the two can go hand-in-hand.

Since 2018, under the leadership of Foster, the Berbice Cricket Board has invested heavily in the education of its cricketers at the junior level. The board has already provided a scholarship to the university for Naeem Khan of the Albion Cricket Club, and has provided educational financial grants to hundreds of youths.
Moreover, the BCB has rewarded outstanding performances at the CSEC level, and has donated school bags, bicycles, and educational materials to assist students in their school work. Youth information booklets have also been published to get the youths to understand the importance of education and other areas in their life, including physical fitness, personal discipline, a drug-free body, and personal hygiene.
The Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, MS, of which Foster is Secretary/CEO, has also invested heavily in hosting numerous educational competitions within the county for primary and secondary school students. These include spelling bees, debates, essays, and poster campaigns, among other things; while the club has hosted awards ceremonies for teachers and students.
University of Guyana Vice Chancellor Dr. Paloma Mohammed has said the scholarships are part of approximately 24 to be given to sports, with four being for cricket. Two of these cricket scholarships are for Berbice, and the other two are for Georgetown.
Dr. Mohammed has pointed out that the scholarships are for any course the university is offering. It means that a recipient can pursue a course that is not sports-related once the requirements of the course are met.
“So, you would have to be able to reach requirements to be accepted by the university. Once you are accepted, the Berbice Cricket Board then takes over and says this is the person,” she explained.
She said the BCB and the university have agreed that the scholarship must be gender-, ethnically-, and geographically-inclusive. She cautioned that a good GPA must be maintained, as a recipient cannot collect a scholarship and just go through the motions. Failure to maintain a good GPA would result in the scholarship being taken away, she warned.
The Berbice Cricket Board would shortly advertise for cricketers to apply for the scholarships.
University Chancellor Professor Edward Greene has said sportspeople must understand the importance of an educated mind, and has hailed the BCB for pushing the importance of education.
International cricket commentator Joseph Reds Perreira and former West Indies vice-captain Roger Harper have both congratulated the BCB and UG for offering cricketers a chance to fulfill their academic ambitions.
Meanwhile, the BCB President has announced to loud applause that a university elite cricket team would shortly receive $100,000 worth of cricket gear. The announcement was made after the captain of the team had approached Foster for assistant to obtain some cricket gear. The BCB President said he then approached a sponsor and the gear was immediately approved. The donation would include batting pads, batting gloves, wicketkeeping pads, wicketkeeping gloves and bats.