Fourteen public-sector workers have been awarded full scholarships to pursue advanced studies at institutions locally and abroad.
They are the second cohort to benefit from the Marcus Garvey Public Sector Graduate Scholarship, which is implemented by the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service.
The awards ceremony was held at King’s House on Wednesday (August 17), on the day when the nation marked the 135th anniversary of the birth of Jamaica’s first national hero, for whom the scholarship is named.
Awardees will be pursuing courses in economics, law, climate change, public health, national security, engineering and integrated rural development.
Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Dr Nigel Clarke, said the scholarship programme is a “core human capital development strategy for Jamaica’s public sector”.
“If Jamaica is going to climb the ladder of development, we’re going to need to continue to invest in our public sector and have a sector that is purpose-built with the competence, [skills] and experience to lead Jamaica forward.
“An important and critical part of this is the networks that come from studying advanced degrees at leading universities. It’s useful for leaders in our public service to have exposure to the common nature of problems that developing countries face and how these problems are addressed,” he added.
Clarke said that the Ministry has made provision for the scholarship to be awarded to a maximum of 30 applicants each year.
“After a few years, we’ll have a critical mass of young leaders in the public service who have this broad exposure and experience that Jamaica so desperately needs,” he noted.
Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen, who was a part of the scholarship selection committee, said he was impressed by this year’s candidates.
“My confidence in Jamaica’s future was strengthened and renewed, as I recognised that we have some very bright, smart, sharp young people in this country, who genuinely want to prepare themselves optimally to make a worthwhile contribution to our country’s development,” he said.
Scholarship recipient, Dr Astrid Batchelor, who gave the vote of thanks, said the awardees will use the opportunity to garner knowledge and experience to move the country to a new level.
“We would like to express our sincere thanks to the Government of Jamaica for giving us this most excellent and generous opportunity to invest and further our studies, both in Jamaica and internationally, to better our nation,” she said.
