A new bond program is in the works for Grenadian students to attend universities in South Florida, says Grenada’s Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Simon Stiell. Speaking at a Diaspora town hall meeting this past weekend in Lauderhill, Minister Stiell said the government is working with top tier local institutions to place students in the nation’s top priority fields, including tourism management, technology, education, architectural preservation and the sciences.
“It was important that these scholarships relate to the nation’s priorities,” said Minister Stiell in an interview with National Weekly. “So we can fill the gaps where we don’t have sufficient human resources.”
Tackling the educational needs of Grenada’s youth is “a high priority for Grenada,” said Minister Stiell, citing the record 50 percent youth unemployment when the New National Party came into power in 2013.
This new program however, says Stiell, will seek to protect tertiary education investment. Under the new policy, students would receive scholarship support and additional privileges (such as in-state tuition rates) in exchange for a two- to three-year bond in public or private employment in Grenada within their field.
This approach will vastly differ from programs form the past, where “provisions were not made for [students’] return,” said Stiell. “This time, we will identify places for students before they leave, so that when they return that can bring value to their workplace, and carry real responsibility.”
Minister Stiell spent a week touring facilities and discussing potential programs with officials at the University of Miami, Florida International University, Nova Southeastern University and Miami Dade Community College. Stiell confirmed that university officials will also be visiting Grenada in the coming weeks to explore the establishment of fully certified online classes for local students, as well as satellite campuses on the island.
Attracting another education institution in Grenada would also be a major economic boon for the island, said Stiell. Revenue alone from St. Georges University equates to 25 percent of the island’s GDP.
The Minister also discuss establishing exchange programs, where South Florida students, including Caribbean-American scholars, come to Grenada to study specific fields, from marine biology to climate change.
“Grenada offers students a safe destination and the chance earn an incredible life experience,” said Stiell.
