Paulwell Urging Students to Do STEM Subjects

Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Phillip Paulwell, is again calling for more Jamaican students to pursue subjects in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

He made the appeal while addressing the Glencore scholarship awards ceremony held recently at the Petroleum Company of Jamaica (PCJ) Auditorium in Kingston.

Scholarships and bursaries valued at $1.3 million were presented to six students, who hail from bauxite producing parishes, and are pursuing undergraduate degree courses in STEM at the University of the West Indies and the University of Technology.

Minister Paulwell congratulated the awardees for choosing these courses, noting that STEM studies offer tremendous opportunities.

He said that the Government is in the process of rebuilding the bauxite and alumina sector and qualified and competent Jamaicans are needed for the workforce.

The scholarship recipients are: Sashell McKenzie – $300,000; Camille Campbell – $250,000; Erika Green – $250,000; and Racquel Shaw – $300,000. Acqueme Johnson and Kenardo Barrett have been awarded bursaries of $200,000 each.

Each recipient must maintain a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) to continue to receive the award.

Launched in 2010, the Glencore Scholarship promotes science and technology and sports among students from bauxite-producing parishes.