Eleven Guyanese are the latest beneficiaries of the UK Government’s Chevening Scholarship Programme.
A farewell reception was held on Friday evening at the residence of British High Commissioner Gregory Quinn for the awardees, who are due to begin yearlong Master’s Degree-level studies in the United Kingdom (UK) in September.
The Guyanese awardees are: Anije Lambert (Social and Organisational Psychology, University of Exeter); Ashley Bankay (Economics and Finance for Development, Bradford University); Ashley John (Media Practice for Development and Social Change, University of Sussex); La Donna Fredericks (Reservoir Evaluation and Management, Heriot-Watt University); Carlyle Collins (Cyber Security Engineering, Warwick University); Petra Richmond (Applied Psychology-Conversion-Health and Forensics, University of Bedfordshire); Desilon Daniels (Media and International Development, University of East Anglia); Sunita Samaroo (International Social Development, University of East Anglia); Jaime Skeete (Applied Sports Science, Bangor University); Vivette Wellington (Agriculture and Rural Development, University of East Anglia); and Christell Chesney (Conservation and Rural Development, University of Kent).
Additionally, two Surinamese have also been awarded scholarships. They are Minerva Demidof-Alendy, who will be reading for a Master’s in Corrosion Control Engineering at the University of Manchester, and Rosianti Kasanpawiro, who will be reading for a Master’s in Sustainable Electrical Power at Brunel University London.
Addressing the reception, Quinn, who also welcomed scholars from previous years, noted that Chevening is all about having the opportunity to learn and develop and to return and use the experience to benefit Guyana. “That is the purpose of Chevening—to give people the skills and knowledge needed to help develop their own country. Not to go and work elsewhere but to return here and work here. It is the least we can expect,” he said.
According to Quinn, this year’s scholarships represent an investment by the British Government of some $93 million and since the academic year 2015/2016, the total investment in Chevening Scholarships by the UK has been some £2M or GY$513 million. He expressed his pride in the commitment to the funding to develop and train Guyanese. “I am also proud that we have shown an increasing commitment to Suriname over the same period,” he added, while encouraging the awardees to connect and share their experiences with each other.
A former scholarship awardee, Dr Quincy Jones, shared his experience at the reception and left the current awardees with some key words of wisdom on how to make the best of their experience. Jones told them to network with their classmates from around the world.
“You have a chance to connect with one of Guyana’s parents as Guyana was a former British colony. You will have a chance to look back, peer into the soul of the United Kingdom and get a deeper understanding of what makes you Guyanese even though it has been a long way from independence. Connect with a parent, learn your history and come back to better Guyana,” Jones told the awardees.
In sharing his experience, he added that the biggest challenge is the return to Guyana as he found it hard to find a job that would suit his skillset but he had to persevere and find a way to use the skills he would have acquired. “You will meet challenges, where people will feel that yuh too bright. You will meet people that feel that you’re too entitled. But don’t let that stop you. You have to remember, why you were chosen for a Chevening… and you have to remember that this is not just for you but is a shot for Guyana moving forward,” Jones said.
Principal of the Cyril Potter College of Education Viola Rowe, who represented the Ministry of Education at the farewell reception, expressed gratitude on behalf of the Ministry to the Government and people of the United Kingdom. She said, “Experienc-es garnered from international education have the potential to reduce academic inbreeding, so we do not have students being taught by educators in their own country, who studied at the same institution… So, this is quite a remarkable opportunity for our young people to have experiences in an international space.”
She also noted that the fact that the scholarship awardees will be studying at different universities is excellent as when they return they will be able to bring their diverse experiences back to the country. “I wish to urge that you make the best of whatever opportunities are available to you. Seek specifically to interact and share with and learn from all your colleagues, especially those who may not look like you or those who may not speak your language,” she added.
Meanwhile, the High Commissioner announced that eligible persons have up until November 5th to apply for Chevening Scholarships for the 2020/2021 academic year. More information about the programme is available at https://www. chevening.org/scholarship/guyana/.
