Several students who’ve successfully applied for the Dr. Barrington Wint Memorial scholarship to furthering their medical studies are in danger of losing the help because of the demand for three guarantors.
The students have only six days left to secure the guarantors.
As we hear from Shaloy Smikle parents of two of the scholarship winners are pleading to the Ministry of Health to adjust the requirement for three guarantors.
The Dr. Barrington Wint Memorial Scholarships are a significant thrust by the government to reduce the shortage of health professionals in Jamaica.
The scholarships were introduced in May of this year.
Recipients will be bonded to work in Jamaica’s public health system for a stipulated period depending on the sum paid for the course of study.
That will also be linked to the number of guarantors required to get the scholarship.
As long as the tuition is over $1 million, the agreement requires three guarantors.
Many of the medical studies cost more than $1 million. And guarantors are hard to find and even more-so if they are required to sign a bond spanning several years.
That’s the hurdle facing several recipients.
One parent, whose child is going into her second year of study in medicine, says the requirements alone are enough to deter any prospective guarantor.
With the September 30 deadline fast approaching, the parent says she sent an email to the Ministry of Finance explaining the difficulties of getting the three stipulated guarantors.
But she has not received any positive response.
Another parent, whose child is going into her fourth year of study, says the tedious task of finding guarantors might rob her of securing the scholarship.
We distorted her voice to protect her child.
We reached out to Health Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton, who’s overseas. He gave us a contact number for someone who told us that she’s in a meeting. She was not available before news time. We will call her back as we follow up this story.
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