Slight drop in $$ budgeted for education, agriculture
In the upcoming fiscal year, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries & Agriculture will receive 13.8 percent of the government’s recurrent budget.
This is a slight drop from the 15.2 percent budgeted for this Ministry last year. Despite the drop, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries & Agriculture has the second-highest allocation from the recurrent budget.
The only Ministry that has got a bigger budgetary allocation is the Ministry of Natural Resources, Labour and Immigration which has been given 15.04 percent of the recurrent budget.
This means that the government is placing some emphasis on education and youth affairs despite the pinch being felt by the onset of COVID.
Additionally, the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth Affairs, Fisheries & Agriculture is set to receive 9.75 percent of the development budget.
There’s also good news for persons dreaming of landing government scholarships next year.
A provision of approximately $3 million has also been made for foreign scholarships and $62,000 for domestic scholarships.
With these allocations, the government can continue the scholarship program for international studies that was revived this year after a three-year halt.
Back in August, 32 locals received funding to study abroad under this programme.
In the meantime, Premier Andrew Fahie noted that the government has allocated some $9.02 million to the state-run the H Lavity Stoutt Community College adding that, “human capital development is important for the territory. We must equip our people for success. We must prepare them for their future roles.”
Copyright 2024 BVI News, Media Expressions Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.
When Myron didn’t return the ministry of education he left some big shoes to fill. Myron was a hard worker and he was organized and he knew what he was about. The education ministry was producing at a high level. The difference in leadership is now very apparent. We really have to be more careful when choosing who are leaders are. I have nothing against Hon. Wheatley but Myron was the person we needed right now. I don’t play the politics. I call things as I see them and I know what I am saying because I’m seeing things up close and personally.
at “Facts”, you are absolutely right. i agree with every part of your post.
How can you say that when Myron had 2 years to build back the high school and he didn’t do it… he had 2 years to get the district schools fixed up… he didn’t do it. There may have been things going on behind the scenes, but these clearly did not benefit the children.
You are either blind or very dishonest. Who oversaw the rebuilding of Robinson O’Neal in VG? Who oversaw the rebuilding of Enis Adams School? @@facts – shut your lying mouth! Who oversaw the repairs and rebuilding of BFEC in VG? Who oversaw repairs at Leonora Delville? Who oversaw the repairs to Ebenezer Thomas? Who oversaw the plans for the High School and negotiated the money? You think the VIP could in two months of taking office just start to the repairs on the high school without a plan. There was a plan that was completed by the former government. It is two years now since the VIP been in office, which schools they fix? Not even the mold they could clean. The schools are without furniture etc. We tell too much lies in this place. Give jack his jacket!
The reason VIP was able to get the school built so quickly was because of the plans they met there by the then Ministry. Everything was ready, the difference is NDP was awaiting CDB funding while Fahie decided to pay from government monies directly. All the plans were there otherwise how else would they be able to embark on such a big project? Sowande is way out of his league and it shows, no amount of politicking can distract us from the truth. He cannot walk in Myron’s shoes, hands down.
You are talking pure facts. Straight facts. No chaser. No politics. These are two different men. One Is a producer. The other one ain’t nearly ready yet.
I second this. This new minister is a talker. Nothing to show for two years in government. Coasting off of the things Myron left in place.
FACTSSSSSSS!!!!
vote for Walwyn
The Education Ministry was transformed and the level of education taken to another level by Minister Myron Walwyn. Don’t mind the noise with the foolishness being said. We need another Myron or Myron himself.
#CanweVoteNow?
Hmmm, did know Government even had a budget for education based on the disgraceful state of our schools and education system as a whole. It is the one area we should be focused on, not cutting!
This is our youth, our future, and this Government $hits on it like it means nothing!
More focused on bug docks, hotels, and airports! Big projects with huge debts that satisfy their short term pocket book without a future plan or vision for our country!
What is lost to them is that any competitive country MUST be built on a solid foundation – that foundation consists of excellent education of our youth, quality infrastructure (internet, sewer, water, electric, roads), social services that take care of our mentally handicapped, our elderly, and health facilities.
How our country, and our voters cannot see the total disgrace that staring us down while every Government focuses on short term, patch and fix scenarios is truly frightening!
Between the pie in the sky bull that was presented in the Budget, can you imagine what the $300 million (proposed for the development of both the airport and Pier Park) could do for our country if we invested in our education, infrastructure and social services! What a foundation it would present for our future and would do more for jobs, mental wellness, and future success!
That would be money well invested!
This Minister of Education will develop into one of the best ever.
Sorry – did I say something about the current Minister?
I hope to God you are right!
What I said in invest in our education and youth, then you will see the real fruits of investment in our country!
Stop playing politics with a serious matter!
If you’re just blogging to blow smoke up the a$$ of the Minister in light of the current educational conditions then by all means … carry on in your delusional fog!!
Yes hard worker after he built the wall around the high school not even trump wall cost that much
This current Minister of Education is good but he has too many persons around him that do not know what they are doing and playing politics.
You mean big pocket to fill
These cats need to understand that they need to focus on the basics first before jumping off into pie in the sky airports and mega docks.
It’s very easy to criticize. Let’s just be real, this education minister has inherited a total broken infrastructure. Let’s go back to 2017 after the hurricane, Myron held that position for the entire year of 2018 and did no rebuilding of schools, but yet you hypocrites keeps comparing. Dr. Wheatley has this post for close to two years now and within a year after having this post to his name, a virus has broken out which crippled the entire world. Myron nor any member of the NDP never experienced the bitter taste of what this government is now experiencing. This is not just a one size fits all, I agree that the system needs fixing, but it isn’t a quick fix as many may think. They deserve a fair chance in getting it right under the circumstances that has befallen them.
That’s what he signed up for. He is in the driver’s seat now.
if he coulda get the schools built one time in 2018, HE WOULD OF DONE IT. if the NDP was re-elected, the schools would of still been built back in the same timeframe as they are now. If you didnt know, all these plans for the ministry that is now being executed, most have been set inplace by the past minister and ministry.
Sowande is Dancia 2.0, nuff said, I hope he enjoys the last 2 years and milk it for what it’s worth.
In all fairness myron had 8yrs shawonde only had 2
In Myron first two years you saw direction. Two years gone now and not a thing from this minister.
You discredited yourself when saying Myron didn’t play politics. Wheatley is doing good & is one of the best things about this government. & the continued focus on education is what we need to survive in the world ahead of us, Fahie understands that.
Myron is a several cuts above Hon. Wheatley. Why even have a discussion on this?
Where the F is the High School? Why are we paying oooh’s for the old CTL building and not building on the land sitting their vacant. Try investing in the PEOPLE of the BVI. No more B/S vanity projects until the BVI schools and infrastructure is fixed…
Wheatley’s life was education long before politics. Myron does not a phd in education.
Which student did Myron ever teach and what learning techniques and research in education does he have?
Saying Myron is ahead of Wheatley in education makes no sense and is just politics being played by the divider himself. Respect the people’s choice local trump, you lost the election.