Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, the Honourable Dr. Geoffrey Hanley pledged to capitalize on every scholarship opportunity offered to the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis so that citizens and residents can benefit from higher education.

“This is something that we campaigned on, indicating that we are going to do all that we can to ensure that our people in the Federation get these opportunities,” said Minister Dr. Hanley during a special Prime Minister’s Press Conference on November 15 at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort Ballroom.

The Honourable Minister said that there are several scholarship opportunities that persons did not take advantage of. However, since assuming office work has begun to ensure that this practice does not continue.

“Since assuming the role of Minister of Education, we have put a scholarship desk within the Ministry so that every scholarship that comes through this country, whether through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or the Human Resource Management Department, the Ministry of Education would have that,” he said. “We will also make sure that we get people to apply for these scholarships. We are going to make sure that wherever we get these scholarships we are going to identify persons to fit them because we need our own speech therapists to assist our children with autism…”

The Education Minister shared some exciting news with respect to new scholarship opportunities.

“Earlier today (November 14), while we had our Youth Forum with the ministers, the Prime Minister [the Honourable Dr. Terrance Drew] was able to announce to the young people here that Germany has answered our call for scholarships. So we now have Germany on our list,” said Dr. Hanley. “Our people must now get into that mindset that they must go out, study, come back and invest in our people.”

Dr. Hanley encouraged citizens and residents to take advantage of the opportunities to gain a higher education.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr. Hanley stated that the Government “has always been looking out for its people as he recalled that it was under the Labour Administration that the “scholarship gate opened up.”  He referenced Cuba for example, adding that the Honourable Marsha Henderson and Ambassador Kenney Douglas were able to capitalize on that opportunity.