More Negrense scholars eyed for Australia

By Dolly Yasa

BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson said on Wednesday that the provincial government is mulling sending more scholars to Darwin, Australia after inking agreements with two educational facilities in the area.

Lacson led a 7-man delegation to the Northern Territory in Australia last week to “see how our provincial government scholars are doing.”

He told reporters that the trip was successful adding that “everything was positive.”

Lacson said he met with the scholars who said that they did not regret going there as most of them planned to stay and get a permanent residency status.

They asked that the scholarship program be continued, the governor said.

Currently, the province has about 30 scholars in Darwin, Australia.

The governor signed a Memorandum of Agreement with Alana Kaye College in Darwin represented by CEO Alana Anderson for the provincial government’s Study Now, Pay Later Scholarship Program.

Under the program, scholarship grantees from Negros Occidental will study early childhood and care at Alana Kaye College in Darwin for two years.

Honorary Consul to the Northern Territory, Australia Januario Rivas and Provincial Administrator Atty. Rayfrando Diaz witnessed the MOA signing on Nov. 10.

The scholarship grant, supervised by the Negros Occidental Scholarship Program Division, covers tuition and other school fees while they are studying.

The governor also inked an agreement with the International College of Advance Education (ICAE) Chief Executive Officer Sean Mahoney, for the “Study Now, Pay Later” Australia Scholarship Program in Darwin.

The recipients of the said scholarship are qualified and deserving Negrense students in the field of hospitality, tourism, and cookery.

The scholarship aims to provide Negrense youth with the opportunity to study and work in Australia and pave the way for them to obtain a stable career and qualify for a work visa and eventually permanent work visa and residency.