PM Scholarship payments are ‘suspect,’ sources claim, while Education staff complain about shortage of funds

The Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme has come under
increased scrutiny of late, with well-placed sources in two
locations confirming a “curious” surge in payments.

They claim that “quite a few” persons have become new
beneficiaries of the financial-assistance programme – operated
from the Prime Minister’s Office – and they are alleging that these
individuals “are not even students.”

The sources discount the fact that many persons are now engaged
in online courses and that the University of the West Indies Five
Islands campus allows residents to pursue studies on island.
Rather, they are insisting that these apparently known persons
“are not studying anywhere.”

Accordingly, they are reporting their suspicions about the
integrity of the programme.

This is not the first time such concerns have arisen. About five
years ago, some students reported that they had been required to
“give back” some of their scholarship funds for alleged “splitting”
with other applicants – and this was confirmed by other
awardees.

Meanwhile, staff members at the Ministry of Education are
making complaints about their lack of payment for various
allowances and the underfunding that is hampering their
programmes – including monitorial visits to the schools in
Barbuda.

These programmes form part of the annual exercises of the
education sector, they say, and were properly drafted and
submitted ahead of the 2024 Budget. However, they have been
unable to draw down the funding to implement them.

Ministry sources tell REAL News that Education Minister Darryl
Matthew is aware that staff members are owed, and has also been
advised that official projects are being stymied.

And while they acknowledge that the blame belongs to the
Ministry’s administrative arm – for which the permanent
secretary (PS) is responsible – they are disappointed that
Matthew is not being proactive about the situation.

Complaints and questions about the money have been made to
the PS, they assure our Newsroom, but no action has been taken
and complacency appears to be the order of the day.