Students must commit time – Bradshaw

It is now mandatory for Barbadian students pursuing studies at tertiary institutions in Barbados to give back to the country.

This evening, Minister of Education Santia Bradshaw launched the Give Back Programme of 100 hours for part time students and 150 hours for full time per academic year.

Students studying at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Barbados Community College (BCC) and Erdiston Teachers’ Training College accessing government scholarship for their studies will participate in the programme.

Delivering remarks during the launch of the programme, held at the Roy Marshall Teaching Complex, UWI, Cave Hill Campus, Minister Bradshaw said the implementation of the initiative will seek to stimulate pride and the desire for service, enable development of community and country and engender a civic responsibility among the tertiary level students.

She said while Government regarded the restoration of “free” tuition fees for students at UWI as one of the critical measures needed to build the foundation for new national growth, it recognised that a stagnant economy cannot be revitalized without a trained, empowered, equipped workforce nor can it be revitalized with heavily-indebted consumers.

“It is with this in mind that this administration also recognizes that to whom much is given, much is expected. We therefore see this investment in education as having a consequential civic responsibility which requires each beneficiary to be engaged in give back service to their community and country.

“The Give Back Barbados Programme is a national campaign which is wider than education. It is hoped that this initiative will become the catalyst for a national movement which will inspire Barbadians of all walks of life to give back.

“While students are at the epicenter of this initiative, government, non-governmental agencies and community-based organisations, all represented here this evening have all been given the opportunity to participate in the national give back programme,” she said.

The Minister said each tertiary institution will also be shouldered with the responsibility for encouraging, guiding and motivating students to become enrolled in the programme as well as operating as entities where students can volunteer their service.

To enroll in the programme, students will be required to sign up to an online application www.gov.bb/giveback where they can choose from more than 65 government, charity and a growing list of Non Governmental Organisations (NGOs), who require volunteers in areas of business, entrepreneurship, youth, technology, health and wellness, the environment and tourism and the creative economy.

The application tracks the number of hours the students have completed, and the organisations correlate and verify the hours volunteered.

During the launch, Minister of Innovation Science and Smart Technology Senator Kay McConney handed over the Give Back application which was created by her Ministry to Minister Bradshaw.

Bradshaw noted that the use of social media will be an integral feature of the promotion of the Give Back Programme.

“Whether it be by way of Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp to name a few, the technology would be the medium used in advancing the programme and other areas of education.