The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Technical & Vocational Training in an address at All Bahamas Merit and National merit Scholars Award Ceremony January 5, 2023, underscored that it is “crucial” for The Bahamas to invest in the future of the nation through education and training. She said higher education can transform the lives of young people, unlock potential in children, and open doors for many future career opportunities.

 
Over 600 new scholarships were approved and more than 700 scholarships renewed by the Division for 2022.  Of the 600 scholarships, 122 were disbursed to recipients of the Public School Scholars Programme Scholarship.

 
Currently, there are 71 agreements between the Ministry of Education and various organizations including 37 individual universities, 18 agreements with Organization of American States, and 16 agreements with the Gerace Research Centre Scholarship.

 
“The scholarships offered to Bahamian students are inclusive of all students who want to attend college, including those who wish to pursue certification in the technical and vocational field through the National Technical Scholarship.  The emphasis on technical and vocational training is crucial to the continuous development of our nation by creating a skilled labour force and enhancing the quality of life of Bahamian citizens.

 
“Bahamian student athletes are also afforded opportunities to train and compete in their sport and become educated at the highest level through scholarships offered by the Ministry of Education, such as the Student Athlete Track and Field Grant. Tens of student athlete scholarships are disbursed annually and the Ministry continues to build partnerships to increase the number of scholarship opportunities offered to Bahamian students who wish to pursue a tertiary education. 

 
“With all that is being done – more must be done and will be done to create greater accessibility for all of our talented young people,” said Minister Hanna-Martin.

The Scholarship and Loan Division was established in 2003 to encourage and support Bahamian students in their pursuit of college, university, vocational and graduate school education through financial aid, advising and the granting of scholarships.

The motto of the Division is “Connecting Students with Transformative Scholarship Opportunities.”