2023 Barbados Scholarship Winners Celebrated at Ceremony, Minister Encourages Continued Excellence

While the number of Barbados Scholarship winners has declined by more than half compared to last year, Minister of Education Kay McConney is urging parents to keep pushing their children to excel.

During the 2023 Barbados Scholarship and Exhibition winners ceremony, at Erdiston Teachers Training College, Pine Hill, St Michael, yesterday, McConney said there were five scholars this year in comparison to 12 last year. However, there were 25 Exhibition winners compared to 21 last year.

“While there are many students who will excel, there are many who did not do so well, but understand they all belong to us – the ones who excelled, and the ones who are seeking to do better at this time,” she said, urging the ones who succeed to bring along others alongside them.

She praised parents and teachers for assisting the students, saying their contributions were invaluable, adding it was important for schools to partner with parents to ensure children were prepared for the future.

“I want to recognise you for the support you gave to these students, whether it is the late nights you stood up with them as they studied, whether it was the learning tools you had to provide them with in order for them to be here today, whether it was the moral support throughout the ups and downs that they had at school and with the examinations council and others. I want to say to you parents that they could not be here without you.

“My Government and our ministry remains committed to ensuring there is appropriate education and training for all of our children. A bright future for every child – that is our aspiration and part of our vision is for you to become world citizens grounded in Barbadian values,” she said.

The minister urged the youth to use their skills and knowledge to the benefit of Barbados as they were the future of the island.