37 St. Kitts and Nevis Nationals Receive Taiwan Scholarships

St. Kitts & Nevis: Thirty-seven nationals of St. Kitts and Nevis have been awarded scholarships to study in Taiwan, marking the largest Taiwan scholarship cohort in the nation's history, Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew said. 
Drew made the statement in a Facebook post on August 11, where he congratulated the recipients and said they will study in areas identified as important to the country's development.

We celebrate 37 outstanding young nationals who have been awarded scholarships to pursue studies in Taiwan across disciplines identified as critical to our national development, Drew said.

Thirty-seven students received the scholarships to pursue their studies, which were funded by two scholarship programmes that are sponsored by Taiwan. Twenty-eight of the beneficiaries received their scholarships from the Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), while the remaining nine  were selected to receive the International Cooperation and Development Fund (ICDF) scholarship.

The recipients received official recognition at the scholarships awards ceremony that took place on August 8 at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort. It was attended by Prime Minister Dr. Terrance Drew; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education Dr. Geoffrey Hanley; Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas; Premier of Nevis Mark Brantley; and Taiwan's Resident Ambassador to St. Kitts and Nevis Edward Ling-Wen Tao.

Addressing the recipients, PM Drew encouraged them to take full advantage of the educational opportunity and to take their studies seriously.

“I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. Do not take it for granted that you'll be getting such a high-class education for free,” he said.
Drew told the students to study hard while in Taiwan. He also encouraged them to learn about the people and culture and to build friendships and relationships during their time there.

He said the exchange between the people of Taiwan and St. Kitts and Nevis can help to strengthen the relationship between the two countries. 
Drew also thanked the Government and people of Taiwan for their continued friendship and support for the development of human capital in St. Kitts and Nevis. He said he looks forward to the students returning home and contributing to the country's development. 

Hanley said the increase in Taiwan scholarships will give more nationals an opportunity to pursue higher education. He also said three additional ICDF recipients had their scholarships deferred until 2027. 

According to the Government, efforts were made to increase the number of scholarship opportunities available to nationals. Drew said discussions with Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te helped to increase the scholarship opportunity from 27 to 40. However, with three ICDF scholarships deferred, 37 nationals make up the 2026 cohort. 

Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Denzil Douglas described the scholarship allocation as a significant milestone in the relationship between St. Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan. He also said the Government is looking forward to doubling the number of scholarships next year. 

The latest scholarship allocation is part of the education partnership between St. Kitts and Nevis and Taiwan. The Government has also said it is working with Taiwan on a new pathway for medical scholarships for nationals who want to study medicine.