Final touches on selection of first batch of GOAL scholars

THE PUBLIC MINISTRY is expected to finalise selection of the first batch of Guyana Online
Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholars in early July to facilitate commencement of lectures, Minister
Sonia Parag announced in a Department of Public Information (DPI) release.
“As soon as we receive the processed applications from GOAL, we will commence the selection
process. We are expected to do so this week and this will take about a week and a half to
complete,” DPI said quoting minister Parag.
GOAL has oversight of the thousands of applications to ensure the final list of selectees meet
qualification standards which include their Grade Point Averages (GPA), geographic locations and
income, the DPI statement advised.
Potential scholars will choose from 104 available programmes offered by six international
universities, viz: University of the West Indies Open Campus; the University of the Southern
Caribbean; the University of Applied Sciences; the Indira Gandhi National Open University; the JAIN
“deemed to be” University, and the Sherlock Institute of India.
“We want to ensure that applicants are processed accurately in terms of the criteria to be met,
which will determine if they are eligible or not for the programmes of their choice, and then the
selection of the beneficiaries of the scholarship will be conducted.”
GOAL received some 8,800 applications for the Government’s online scholarship programme, with
the bulk (60 percent) submitting it online. Unsurprisingly, the lion’s share of the applications was
made from Region Four (Demerara/Mahaica) with some 3,400 applications for the various
programmes.
Essequibo Islands/West Demerara (Region Three) followed with 1,044 applications;
Pomeroon/Supenaam, (Region Two) with 786; East Berbice/Corentyne (Region Six), had 674
applications and 577 persons applied from Mahaica/Berbice (Region Five).
Residents from the mining region Upper Demerara/Berbice (Region Ten), sent 429 applications;
while interior communities showed keen interest with Barima/Waini (Region One), sent 300
applications; Region Seven (Cuyuni/Mazaruni), 296 applications; Upper Takutu/Upper Essequibo
(Region Nine) 110 and Potaro/Siparuni (Region Eight), deposited 109 applications.
Under the government’s 20,000 online scholarship initiative, some 4,500 students will benefit
annually over the next five-years.