Statement by the Chairman of the Progressive Young Liberals
The Progressive Young Liberals wish to dispel rumors and speculation that is going around the University of The Bahamas’ community as it relates to the tertiary grant. We wish to emphatically and unequivocally state that the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) will not cancel the tertiary grant program.
Further, the Progressive Young Liberals call on the government to intervene and assist nursing students who are not at fault with meeting the required credit hours to qualify for the tertiary grant for the upcoming academic year. The University of The Bahamas is at fault for failing to offer the required courses, but the nursing students are being penalized.
Perhaps those responsible for spreading lies and fake news about the PLP should be more useful, honest and constructive with their time and seek to assist these young nursing students.
The PLP government will remove all unjust loopholes in this tertiary grant policy and program that place our young people at such a disadvantage.
The PLP is committed to the advancement and empowerment of the Bahamian people through education. We proved our commitment in 1974 when we established the College of The Bahamas and we renewed that commitment in 2016 when we transformed the country’s primary tertiary institution to the University of The Bahamas.
History is always instructive for those who would seek to rewrite it.
It is a fundamental belief of the PLP that universal access to quality education from the cradle to the grave is a human right and not a privilege and we have the legacy to prove this.
Prior to 1967, the government’s only secondary school was the Government Highschool which only allowed twenty-five students each academic year. It was not until Majority Rule was achieved and the PLP formed the government that schools were built throughout the country and education was free for all Bahamians. This concept was expanded to the tertiary level when the busary grant was introduced in 1978.
Under the last PLP administration, we expanded tertiary educational opportunities for young Bahamians through scholarships to pursue degrees in the United States and Canada under the Public School Scholar’s Program.
The PLP remains committed to the expansion of all programs that empower and create new opportunities for more Bahamians.
