July 11. 2007 – Full scholarships, which include tuition and books, are currently available from the University of the Virgin Islands for the territory's high school and college students as well as others interested in pursuing a career in education, according to a press release from he Virgin Islands Department of Education.
“This initiative represents the Department of Education's pledge to invest in the territory and provide students and residents with opportunities for careers in education,” Human Resources Director, Alscess Lewis-Brown said. “Across the nation jurisdictions are in desperate need of qualified and committed education professionals. We are stepping up to the plate and making the window of opportunity a reality for our people and for the progression of our community. In order for the Virgin Islands to sustain a strong educational system, we must now look at cultivating and training our own for sustainability.
“The Virgin Islands Department of Education recently received an appropriation from the 27th Legislature for a little over $700,000 to support its Teacher Recruitment and Retention Fund. The appropriation, supported wholeheartedly by Gov. John deJongh and the administration, will assist the department immensely in meeting several critical mandates as well as putting in place programs for our current teaching staff and future hires. Other areas of the program include offering attractive incentives to qualified individuals who elect to pursue a career in teaching.
“Here at the Education Department, we are very serious about cultivating a core of educators that will serve to ensure that our students have access to quality education and an equal opportunity to compete academically. This scholarship program is a viable and valuable endowment, which provides an opportunity to improve the local community, and we hope that residents see that, buy into our efforts and support the program,” said Lewis-Brown.
For more information and to obtain an application, contact the DHR at 778 -1600 or 774-0100, ext. 8039 or 8052.