Some 425 Guyanese are now the holders of master’s degrees from the India-based Jain University in various disciplines, through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarship scheme.
These persons were awarded GOAL scholarships in November 2021 to pursue the two-year course.
The Department of Public Information (DPI) on Thursday spoke with some of the graduates.
Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) at the National Communications Network (NCN), Michella Abraham-Ally decided to complete her MA in Public Policy and Administration.
“It definitely took some commitment and adjustment…My family would have to come and jerk me back to wake [up] and pay attention. If I had to travel, they gave me the option to watch back the recordings. You were always given your PowerPoint presentations and what they lectured on…”, she said.
Abraham-Ally told DPI that she feels a deep sense of humility and gratitude for the opportunity to benefit from the GOAL programme and eagerly awaits the chance to give back to society.
Marketing Officer at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Nickishaw Khan will soon graduate with a master’s degree in Digital Marketing and E-commerce.
“I wanted something that I can explore a variety of options in. So, pursuing a master’s in that field would have helped me to align my interests in leveraging innovative strategies… I also saw it as a means to develop and explore my skills within that field,” she said.
Khan, who owns an online skincare business, told DPI that her studies have helped her to better understand consumers’ behaviour and new technologies, while also helping to expand her business.
Communications Specialist and Head of the Communications Department at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Joel Ally said that he decided to pursue the MA in Journalism and Mass Communication, after serving over 12 years in the broadcasting sector in several capacities at the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA).
“Apart from that, I do believe in the relentless pursuit of academic excellence and development,” Ally emphasised, noting that pursuing the degree was challenging but ultimately rewarding.
One of the highlights during his journey was topping Guyana and India in terms of his performance in the first semester, while maintaining an excellent performance throughout all the other semesters.
Meanwhile, Graphic Designer at DPI, Shaquelle Plato described his academic pursuit as challenging.
Plato, who completed his MBA in Digital Marketing and E-Commerce, underlined that “Balancing work and studies was no small task. I just endured. I had to sacrifice a lot of personal time, social events, and sleep”, he said.
The graphic designer explained that in addition to completing shorter courses, he plans to dedicate himself to a few personal projects.
