iWitness News

Taiwan awarded EC$320,000 in bursaries to 524 students across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines under the Taiwanese Human Resource Development Programme.

The bursaries support students at the primary, secondary, tertiary and technical levels, including recipients from Bequia, Mustique and the Southern Grenadines.

Taiwan’s Ambassador to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Fiona Huei-Chun Fan, said more than 12,500 Vincentian students have benefited from the programme since 1998.

Fan said 321 Vincentians have studied in Taiwan at the bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral levels in areas including agriculture, healthcare, culinary arts and technology.

The ambassador encouraged students to pursue opportunities in technology and information and communication fields, highlighting Taiwan’s global role in semiconductors, AI servers, laptops and smartphone components.

Godwin Friday described the relationship between Taiwan and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines as a “partnership between peoples” built through education and cultural ties over 45 years of diplomacy.

Friday stressed that education is the country’s most valuable resource, saying SVG’s greatest strength is the intelligence and health of its people.

He also urged teachers to treat education as a serious vocation because their influence on students can last a lifetime.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Lavern King, said 244 bursaries went to primary school students, 190 to secondary school students and 90 to tertiary or technical students.

King said the assistance is intended to help cover transportation, nutrition, uniforms and school supplies for students and families.

She noted that recipients were selected based on academic excellence or resilience in overcoming challenges.

The government also reaffirmed its commitment to supporting students with disabilities and those from underprivileged backgrounds to ensure inclusive access to education.