15 Belizean students receive scholarships from Mexico
Every year the biggest technical college in Mexico accepts students from Belize, who earn their degrees through scholarships provided by that country’s government. The selection process for 2011 was recently completed and fifteen students are now preparing to head north for up to four years of studies in subject areas including tourism, nursing, food production and telecommunications. Marcelino Miranda, the press officer for the Embassy of Mexico says this is only one of several scholarship programs for Belizean students.
Marcelino Miranda, Press Officer, Embassy of Mexico
“They are going to stay in Mexico between three and four years depending on the program. This scholarship program has been running between Mexico and Belize for the last ten years. It has proved successful because more than a hundred Belizeans have received a technical degree in Mexico and they have come back to Belize. The main purpose of this program is that those Belizean students who want to go to Mexico, they can get this technical degree and they can come back in order to contribute to the development of Belize. First we have a call for proposals, a national call for proposals. After that there’s a specific committee that selects according to their qualifications and also they have to take an exam, which is a standard exam in Mexico and additionally they have to take a Spanish exam. So after this the best candidates are selected and they are provided with this scholarship.”
Delahnie Bain
Marcelino Miranda
“And it’s fifteen students each year in this program?”
Marcelino Miranda
“Yeah, on average we have fifteen scholarships every year. So this is the tenth year we are running this program and we are looking forward to continue this program. That’s the reason we are appealing and we are inviting all those Belizean students who are interested to go and study in Mexico to come to the embassy of Mexico. We have different programs; this is not the only scholarship program. And it’s very important to keep in contact because with that we can provide enough information about the different programs and also to encourage them and to help them in order to get those scholarships.”
As part of the program, the government and University of Belize provide scholarships for Mexican nationals to study English in Belize.
To all those b–ching about the recent sale of sugar to Mexico at the control price, I hope you factor in the cost of scholarships Mexico has been providing Belize for decades, the cost of certain infractures, and the goodwill Mexico has shown towards us. On the other hand, the direct economic benefits went to senators and other UDP’s in the loop. I recall a Belizean whose father was in the loop because he was a high government official and was instrumental in obtaining a USA scholarship for him but which turned into vinegar later on. Moral of story? There is no free lunch.