Nine young Guyanese have received scholarships to pursue studies in various fields for a five-year duration in the People’s Republic of China, a Department of Public Information (DPI) release stated yesterday.
They will be furthering their studies in areas such as finance, medicine, civil works, art, international economy and trade and veterinary medicine.
The scholarships are the result of a collaboration between the ministries of Public Service and Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Guyana, the release added.
At an awards ceremony held for the scholars yesterday, Chinese Ambassador to Guyana, Guo Haiyan, urged the recipients to value this unique opportunity given them and do their best so as to be able to contribute to their country’s development. She remarked that education and training are two components of strong bilateral cooperation between Guyana and China.
“The Chinese Govern-ment attaches great importance to education… as our President has emphasised that education is a foundation of national development in the long run. We should always give strategic priority to education and enhance the capacity of education to serve economic and social development.”
According to the DPI, since the signing of a 1984 agreement, the Govern-ment of China has provided 220 scholarships to Guyanese students as well as organised a variety of bilateral and multilateral training courses. And as the ambassador noted, “This year 56 persons will soon be trained in China [and] thousands of others have attended courses online and we have more training courses to come.”
Meanwhile, the awardees expressed elation at being able to further their education and voiced their appreciation to the governments of China and Guyana for this initiative.
Twenty-year-old Kerri-Ann Khan, who is pursuing a career in clinical medicine said, “I’m ecstatic, first of all, I am very grateful for the opportunity.” And aspiring veterinarian, Shameeza Baksh said she was excited to begin this new journey.
“It’s one thing to apply and have this as a chance but to know you actually get through with it, it’s very exciting and I am very excited to see how it goes. In my degree particular, it’s special because I can’t do veterinary medicine in Guyana, so China is providing me with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get to do that degree.”
