PHILIPSBURG–In the future, the priority list of studies from which students will have to choose if they would like to be considered for study financing from government, will be developed based on several factors including research, Members of Parliament (MPs) were told during the continuation of a meeting of the Central Committee of Parliament on the draft national ordinance on study financing on Monday.
The priority list will be developed based on the research that has been gathered on additional study areas (trending new courses and degrees), the list of renewed employment permits in 2017, the list of newly requested employment permits in 2017, the list of vacancies in 2018 (based on labour market research by the Department of Statistics) and potential by assessing the data on the graduate turnover percentage over the years 2013, 2014 and 2017.
Education Minister Wycliffe Smith told MPs that this process will be done in close collaboration with the Department of Education, the Division of Study Financing and key stakeholders such as the Department of Labour and Statistics. The 2019 priority list is currently being drafted.
In the past, the priority list was compiled by the ministry’s Student Support Services Division. This was done using surveys based on online research. These surveys were then sent to various stakeholders in the public and private sectors. The survey included an unstructured format consisting of open ended questions to reduce bias. Interviews were also held to discuss either the completed survey or to complete the survey with the stakeholders, Smith said. Stakeholders that were included in the 2014 sample included 45 public entities, four school boards, five secondary schools, two universities and 124 private entities. The data received was analysed and the study finance priority list was developed, with a keen eye on ensuring that there would not be a saturation in any career field upon students’ return and that careers on the priority list reflected what was still needed for the island according to the responses of the stakeholders.
During Monday’s meeting Smith answered questions posed in the first and second rounds of the meeting. Chairperson of Parliament Sarah Wescot-Williams said a report of the meeting will be sent to government and the public plenary session will be planned, where MPs will eventually have to vote on the draft ordinance.
Source: The Daily Herald https://www.thedailyherald.sx/islands/80000-study-financing-priority-list-to-be-based-on-research-other-factors
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