Minister says scholarship recipients are playing ‘hocus-pocus’
Last week the Ministry came under fire from students who claimed that their scholarships were being taken away. Today it was the Minister’s turn to respond – and according to the minister, some students are playing hocus-pocus.
Patrick Faber, Minister of Education
“I will assure you that that is not the case. One thousand two hundred and twenty-two students, who some of them have taken a two-year scholarship and stretched it to five years, some of them not making the grade, some of them doing all kinds of hocus-pocus, john kunu dancing at UB, and we’re insistent that we must be more efficient and so we require the tertiary unit, Sr. Caritas and Ms. Sosa to ask them to re-register, to give us good reason why we should not discontinue their scholarships. I will tell you that of this one thousand two hundred and twenty-two students that have the scholarships, sister will share with you, that only about two hundred or so decided to go through the registration process. So when those people’s bills are not paid, when their scholarship is not continued please, don’t blame the Ministry of Education, please don’t spin it into political victimization. We want to be able to help more students; we want to be able to give more people more. And if you do hear about me cancelling scholarships, yes it was to those who were receiving fifty and sixty thousand dollars and we cut it in order to give them ten or fifteen and we shared it around so that more people for instance, in the doctoral programme with Nova and Oklahoma State and all these programs, to make sure that everybody gets a little bit as compared to just a few getting a huge lump sum of money.”
The Ministry of Education is doing its job for the students.
the ministry of education think they smart, they only d do dis fe tek the money,.
I don’t understand……. whats up students? There are may people out there who are doing good in school and would be thankful for a scholarship and the one who have it are not showing any appreciation. I am an example my G.P.A is 3.33, and I cant get a scholarship, I am working late nights to send myself to school. I guess its true, its about who you know. wake up students I wish it was me! Be grateful for what you have.
The fact of the matter is that at the end of the day all the hocus pocus that the minister is talking about is being played by him and the GOB. Can someone explain to me what is the connection with an A student who applies to the ministry for a scholarship and his/her area representative? I applies and I was told plain and straight that it does not matter if I am an A student with a GPA of 3.90 but my application would not be considered if it was not accompanied by a letter of my aread rep. What is that now. This is a political hocus pocus because I know that minister supporter who are abroad with full scholarship (stippen and all) who perform miserably in their exams. Its a shame! Give it to people who have proven to be competent and want to excel.