GOAL receives over 8,800 applications for online scholarships

The Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) has received over 8,800 applications for the Government’s online scholarship programme.

Head of the Academy, Professor Jacob Opadeyi said some 60 per cent of those applications were submitted online.

Most of the applications were from Region Four which saw approximately 3,400 persons applying for the programmes. Region Three follows with 1,044 applications; Region Two with 786; Region Six, 674; Region Five, 577; Region Ten, 429; Region One, 300; Region Seven, 296; Region Eight, 109 and Region Nine 110.

Dr. Opadeyi said several applicants, particularly those from Regions Seven and Eight, did not provide an email address. He noted that it is important for persons undertaking these programmes to have a formal means of communication. To ensure that they did not miss out on the opportunity to further their education, email addresses were created and provided to them.

Professor Opadeyi said 80 per cent of the applicants are eligible for the programme of their choice. The eligibility process will be completed next Tuesday after which the applications will be submitted to the Ministry of Public Service to be vetted further.

“These for the scholarship, there is a rubric of five conditions that must be used before you get a scholarship. One is a Grade Point Average (GPA). So, persons are rank based on their GPA. Then we rank you based on your income. Of course, if you have high GPA, more points. Then we rank them based on the region of origin, where they come from,” he explained.

Dr. Opadeyi gave assurances that there will be equity in the distribution of scholarships in the regions.

The scholarships will be awarded by the end of June to facilitate the commencement of classes in July.

The Government’s 20,000 online scholarship initiative is the fulfilment of a commitment the PPP/C made while on the hustings, to provide opportunities for educational development.

Applicants were allowed to choose from 104 available programmes offered by six international universities. The institutions are the 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.

The 20,000 online scholarship initiative will see 4,500 people benefiting from scholarships every year over a five-year period.