Barbados needs to stopping throwing money away on undergraduate studies that can be done at the UWI. When there were few educational opportunities and no regional university, the scholarships were needed. No other countries award scholarships at the undergraduate level to be taken up abroad when the courses can be studied at home. This is financial madness.
The emphasis should be on awarding scholarships in areas which CANNOT be studied at UWI, masters, doctorates, and professional degrees.

This has been the Barbados Scholarship for years. The living stipend is vastly below what you will need. A poor boy like me took a student revolving loan. I did return to Barbados and work the period of my bond and have also paid back the Student Loan Revolving Fund in full after being told by one of the underlings initially at the Revolving Loan and I quote “Wunnah does tek the money and don’t come back or pay it back”. I wanted to let her have it at the time. Good riddance!!!!
Also for me when I won the scholarship years ago the university I went to had an understanding with the Barbados Gov’t and knew they would be paid (obviously late) so they allowed me to register with no problems. My advise to scholars, delay study plans to foreign universities by one year, who needs these issues when you are trying to study and adjust in a foreign land.
Remember your God and Saviour Jesus Christ First, Aim high and reach for the stars.

Not much has changed in the Ministry of Education in 50 years! Approximatley 51 yearss ago, I won a Barbados Scholarship and foolishly set off for university in early Ocotber.  I was from a poor household and had no source of funds other than the scholarship emoluments. It took about 3 months before the first money was paid making it impossible for me to buy the text books that were absoslutely necessary to begin my studies. There were no Zerox copiers in those days!

The ministry should either work to shorten the cycle time it takes to disburse scholarship monies or notify awardeees that it will take a given number of months before monies would become available. The answer given by the civil servant quoted here is not good enough.

The Ministry of Education should know by now that exam results come in later August and students start University in September.

Regardless of whether there are processes to be followed, they should ensure that things move alot faster.

This is poor service to the students.

@RICK: You are talking adulterated nonsense,you also sound like one of those people with the typical slave mentality. I believe that our bright young people who have proven that they are a cut above the rest of students in any given year, should be given the opportunity to go any part of the world and pursue their education. I will not even comment on our bright students going to UWI. The money that is given to Scholars is not enough. I hope in due time the Government will increase it.

My question to the scholarship winner is: If you did not win a scholarship, how would you have financed your education??
Unless you have a crystal ball and know for a fact that you were going to win a scholarship it means you would have made other preparations or delayed starting school for at least a minimum of a year to try to save some money!!!You people want to sprint before you can creep! Hold your horses and if you have been accepted to a college/university, there is such a thing as being “DEFERRED”. Try going to BCC and gaining some liberal arts credits or the UWI Cave Hill Campus in the meantime. And try and get a ‘real world’ mentality to life!