Georgetown: Two Government Technical Institute (GTI) students will now be better equipped to pursue their desired fields of study thanks to scholarship bursaries presented by the Gafoor Foundation.
The assistance will cause the two youngsters to attend the 2018 academic year and provide for their education materials, transportation fees, training materials not provided by the institute, meals, among other things.
The presentation was made in the GTI boardroom on Wednesday.
Present at the handing over ceremony were Assistant Chief Education Officer (Technical), Patrick Chinedu Onwugmia; acting GTI Principal, Renita Crandon Duncan, Gafoor Foundation Board member Ameena Gafoor; Sylvia Conway (board member, Gafoor Foundation) and Major-General (rtd), Norman McLean.
Gafoor Foundation Board member Ameena Gafoor said that the purpose of the bursary is to help young people stay in school and qualify themselves.
Mrs. Gafoor said GTI was singled out because of the subjects that are offered in the vocational trade field.
“These are equally important as the academic subjects because a country cannot be driven without an industrial base, and so we want to encourage those from the technical institutes to persevere, because they can always do a period of apprenticeship and internship with Gafsons to understand the world of work,” she said.
Ameena Gafoor said the Board’s committee is responsible for selecting the benefactors of the bursary, but it is the board’s intention to extend the scholarship to other technical institutes countrywide.
In addition, Mrs. Gafoor noted that it would be a pleasure to see female benefactors of the scholarship as the committee meet to offer bursaries.
GTI Principal, Renita Crandon Duncan said that the bursaries will assist the students with supplies during the school year to ensure that their programme is concluded successfully.
“I know that they are going to put the money to good use, as they should,” she said.
She expressed gratitude to the Gafoor Foundation for their continued support.
Assistant Chief Education Officer-Technical (ACEO – Tech), Patrick Chinedu Onwuzirike said in partnering with the private sector has gained momentum and it is expected that females will be more integrally involved in vocational training.
GTI student Joshau Bharrat said that the bursary will assist him in offsetting expenses throughout the year as he perseveres to complete his diploma in civil engineering.
He said he wanted to commence the course since 2012 but could not because he didn’t possess the Math and English qualifications. However, he studied and wrote the subject and later passed making it possible to enter the programme.
“I am very grateful and thankful for the assistance I am also given,” he said.
The other awardee, Emani Charles expressed thanks on behalf of himself and parents for the bursary noting that it will help him throughout the year.
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