Hon Ralph T. O’Neal wants more ‘help’ for students studying abroad
Hon O’Neal shared those sentiments during the Virgin Islands Party’s (VIP) radio programme 'Let's Talk' on January 7, 2015 on ZBVI 780 AM on which a number of issues were raised.
The plight of persons studying in the USA and UK in particular is made known many times to this news site, especially during interviews for our weekly “Young Professional” articles. Youths have often indicated that despite being given government scholarships to further their studies overseas they are unable to go through with the scholarship as the funds allotted are way too low compared to the real cost of studying abroad.
In most cases youths are forced to enter the work industry in the hope that they will work and save to eventually accumulate sufficient funds to move on to study but in many cases they report that they only get jobs that do not pay much and as such saving becomes very challenging and time for the utilising of the scholarship expires.
It was at the stage where senior member of the VIP Honourable Andrew A. Fahie (R1) was discussing the issue of getting persons prepared to take up certain positions in the territory when Hon O’Neal interjected to speak of the hardships students studying overseas are faced with.
“I am in full agreement that we must get our people prepared and ready but the education for our students who go abroad is very expensive,” said Hon O’Neal.
He recalled many years ago when he had made a trip to England where he had met with students from the Virgin Islands (VI). It was then he had found out that the law and medical courses were very expensive.
“And as a result I had to agree that these children need additional help to go through college. And it was the same thing that was happening in the United States,” said Hon O’Neal.
He pondered to know if persons in authority have been getting letters from students abroad asking for financial help, despite the fact that they are on scholarship, to pay for their tutoring as they also have to pay for boarding, lodging and other things, which Hon O’Neal said is very expensive.
“Somewhere we should look into it because the children may go to some other place that you don’t know about and may not be getting the best quality [education] and therefore their education may not be right up to date. It needs looking into very carefully.”
He said there was a time when Canada had given the VI some scholarships and the VI government had gone to the extent of sending an officer on the ground to ensure persons on the scholarship were getting the best possible treatment.
Speaking in a national address in November 2014, Chairman of the Virgin Islands Party (VIP) Honourable Julian Fraser RA (R3) said young people are facing a future of hardship "but the NDP continues to tell us the economy is booming, with resorts, hotels, and marinas, laying off scores of people each month, even as trust companies downsize and relocate."
"The economy is not booming, when you visit places like the Stickett in Long Look, Scatliffe Alley in Road Town, parts of Purcell, Little Apple Bay, Baugher's Bay, Cane Garden Bay, Huntums Gut, Bell View and Parham Town. For what will you discover? You will witness too many of our young people, without jobs or proper education, sitting around all day in hopeless despair," he had said.
Hon Fraser called it very painful to him and said it is a social tragedy.
"Add to this the fact, that too many of our youth leave colleges and universities each year and return home with no career prospects," Hon Fraser had said.
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