THE STORY of 18-year-old Kordell Clarke - a student of Alpha Academy for Girls - was both inspiring and frustrating. Although hampered by difficult financial, distracting social and physically challenging circumstances, she excelled academically.
She gained 12 Caribbean Examinations Council subjects with seven distinctions and five credits while surmounting the death of her father (when she was only 10 years old), the death of a brother, nights made intolerably noisy by law-breaking sound system operators, a paucity of financial resources, an ill mother, her own physical deformity and corrective surgery. She was assisted by Scotiabank and Bruce Golding (her Member of Parliament).
What is frustrating about her story is something of grave concern to me. Although there is no doubt that Kordell will be able to pursue her dream of studying for a degree in actuarial science at the University of the West Indies (the topic was raised in Mark Wignall's recent newspaper column ), many other bright students are unable to embark on tertiary studies because they lack financial support. For most, the Students' Loan Bureau has become the sole source of their educational funding, but it (understandably) has stringent requirements encompassing the financial status of the student, his/her parents/ guardians (family) and the guarantor. Because of these and other factors that may make loans difficult to access or to guarantee, there is a vital need for scholarships.
Not enough scholarships
Fortunately, unlike many other capable students, by virtue of her special circum-stances and amazing achievements, Kordell is a deserving celebrity and will certainly be assisted by a scholarship from somewhere.
Every year, Jamaica loses many bright students to overseas institutions because of the availability of scholarships abroad. Those who sit the Scholastic Aptitude Test and achieve high scores are often the recipient of scholarships and grants. Our country needs to keep our future leaders here by making tertiary studies even more accessible with scholarships. We have not employed innovative thinking in this crucial matter. Some well-known financial giants offer scholarships to students every year, but many more are needed if we are to uplift the general educational standard of our nation.
I feel confident that the average small businessperson, self-employed individual or regular citizen would voluntarily contribute something to a scholarship fund for needy students if there was some reciprocity in the arrangement.
Generosity dependent on motive
The Government should look into allowing contributions to the fund up to a predetermined percentage limit. If people knew for certain that their contribution would be written off as a tax-exempt expense (something like the current arrangement regarding personal retirement funds) and that the money would go directly into the scholarship fund (and not the way of the so-called 'Education Tax' that is de facto absorbed into the Consolidated Fund), they would contribute. And, if people also knew that the scholarship fund would not be raided (like the National Housing Trust), they would contribute.
There is a preponderance of undisciplined followers emerging within our midst. The brain drain is leaching off our promising movers, shakers, planners and leaders. Perhaps some politicians like it that way; a dependent and malleable underling will assure you votes every time. Unfortunately, such an individual inevitably becomes a burden and a danger to society.
Our tertiary institutions are already notorious for discouraging potential students with their rigidity, lack of user-friendliness, expense and reputation for trying to establish their intellectual superiority by making some courses cumbersome. We need scholarships to educate our young minds locally so that they may contribute positively to our nation building.
Garth A. Rattray is a medical doctor with a family practice. Feedback may be sent to garthrattray@gmail.com or columns@gleanerjm.com.