HINTERLAND SCHOLARSHIP DIVISION HISTORY

The Amerindian Scholarship Programme was introduced in 1962. The first six (6)
students were those who had written the Common Entrance Examination and performed
creditably. They were awarded places at Secondary Schools in the capital city,
Georgetown. Hence scholarships were offered annually to the outstanding performers.

The need for the older students to be trained in Technical, Vocational and Tertiary skills
was evident, thus, the number of scholarships awarded annually was increased in 1966.
Scholarships were offered to the Government Technical Institute, the Carnegie School of Home Economics and the Guyana School of Agriculture.

Scholarships were offered to Hinterland students attending the University of Guyana in
1986. Since the Public Service Ministry (P.S.M.) offers scholarships to students desirous
of attending University, a decision was taken in 2000 not to sponsor these students but to have them apply to P.S.M.

In 1976 the Amerindian Scholarship Programme was renamed the Hinterland Scholarship Programme to cater for the children of mixed parentage or non Amerindians living and working in the Interior.

Presently, approximately eighty scholarships are offered annually and a number of
students who are experiencing financial difficulties, once these are verified are offered
assistance. Approximately two hundred and ninety-five (295) students are on the
Programme annually and another twenty (20) receive assistance. This amount includes
students attending institutions in Guyana’s ten (10) administrative regions.

Various Government Ministries were responsible for the Amerindian Scholarship
Programme. The Ministry of Local Government had the longest responsibility, until the
Ministry of Amerindian Affairs was introduced and it was tasked with the responsibility
of the Programme.

SCHOLARSHIP – SECOND BATCH

The names of the second batch of scholarship students were, Edward Prince, Monsieur
Barretto, Gordon Ramascindo, Tekawitha Valenzuela and Mary Valenzuela. According
to Mary Valenzuela, Edward, Monsieur and Gordon attended Queens College, which
was at the time an all boy’s school, while Tekawitha and her attended Bishop High an all
girl’s school. Mary and Tekawitha went up to Forth form at Bishop High because they
did not get five (5) subjects to be promoted to Fifth Form, so in that case they attended
Charlestown Secondary to finish the other year.

ELIGIBILTY

Originally, students who wrote the Common Entrance Examination presently called the
Secondary Schools Examination (SSEE) and obtained 470 – 480 marks or 83.3 % were 1

awarded a Regional Scholarship, that is, to attend Secondary school in their respective
Regions if there is a school or may opt to attend in a neighbouring Region. Those who
gain more than 480 marks or 85.1% qualify to attend Secondary schools in Georgetown.

With the introduction of the National Grade Six Examination and continuous assessment
were 5% and 10 % of the total marks of the Levels 2 and 4 exams are accumulated
and added to the Level 6 examination which is 85 % of the marks. Hence, the student
will need to obtain 83% and 85% of the total marks to earn a National Scholarship
respectively.

The older students between the ages of 15 – 18 years, especially those, who due to the
unavailability of Secondary Schools in some regions in the past and did not have access
to a “higher secondary education,” must apply to the Ministry of Amerindian Affairs
for a scholarship to attend a Vocational institution, such as Guyana Industrial Training
Centre, Carnegie School of Home Economics and Craft Production and Design Division
or the Government Technical Institute to undergo studies for a craft certificate.

To pursue certificates and diploma course at the Guyana School of Agriculture, the
Burrowes School of Art and the Government Technical Institute, applicants must have
at least three or more Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects.
All applications should be accompanied by recommendations from the Captain, Head
Teacher, Community Development Officer or any other person of good standing in the
Community.

HINTERLAND SCHOLARSHIP STUDENT’S DORMITORY

On September 03, 2010 the Dormitory was commissioned by his excellence President
Bharat Jadgeo. Students took up residence on January 2, 2011.
Students who receive National Scholarships and travel to Georgetown to attend school
are accommodated at the Dormitory; if they are not awarded the President’s College.
However, some parents asked that students remain with them or relatives, in Georgetown. Students at the Dormitory are cared for by House Parents, a Nurse, Cooks, Cleaners and a laundry.
Transportation takes them to and from school, to extra curricula act ivies among other
events. They receive the same allowances as the others.

GUARDIANS

A number of persons are paid by the Ministry as guardians of scholarship students, who
they board and lodge while they are attending schools in the Regions or in Region 3.
Some students in the Regions remain with their parents or relatives and over the years a few parents have moved to Georgetown to take care of their children, if they do not want them to stay at the dormitory. The Community Development Officers (CDOs) and some regional staff assist tremendously with the payments and some monitoring.

CSEC Results

There was a drop in CSEC performance in 2012, due to mast students failing Maths. It should be noted that many students through out the country and the Carribbean did not do well in Maths and English

GUYANA INDUSTRIAL TRAINING CENTRE

GUYANA TECHNICAL INSTITUTE - GUYANA TECHNICAL EDUCATION EXAMINATION

HSP Summary statistics 2011 - 2012 (38 KB)

Click here to read more background/briefing on the HSP (38 KB)