425 Guyanese complete master’s degrees through GOAL

Some 425 Guyanese are now the holders of a master’s degree from the India-based Jain University in various disciplines, through the Guyana Online Academy of Learning (GOAL) scholarships programme.

These persons were awarded GOAL scholarships in November 2021 to pursue the two-year course.

The Department of Public Information (DPI) on Thursday spoke with some of the scholars who hailed their success as rewarding. 

Deputy Chief Executive Officer (DCEO) at the National Communications Network (NCN), Michella Abraham-Ally decided to complete her MA in Public Policy and Administration.

Ally explained that while studying can be difficult, it also requires discipline, “It definitely took some commitment and adjustment…My family would have to come and jerk me back to wake [up] and pay attention. If I had to travel, they gave me the option to watch back the recordings. You were always given your PowerPoint presentations and what they lectured on…”

Abraham-Ally told DPI that she feels a deep sense of humility and gratitude for the opportunity to benefit from the GOAL initiative and eagerly awaits the chance to give back to society.

Marketing Officer at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS), Nickishaw Khan will soon graduate with a master’s degree in Digital Marketing and E-commerce.

“I wanted something that I can explore a variety of options in. So, pursuing a master’s in that field would have helped me to align my interests in leveraging innovative strategies… I also saw it as a means to develop and explore my skills within that field,” she explained.

Khan, who owns an online skincare business, stated that her studies have helped her to better understand consumers’ behaviour and new technologies, while also helping to expand the landscape of her business. She described her journey as an exciting one.

Communications Specialist and Head of the Communications Department at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Joel Ally highlighted that he decided to pursue the MA in Journalism and Mass Communication, after serving over 12 years in the broadcasting sector in several capacities at the Guyana National Broadcasting Authority (GNBA).  

“Apart from that, I do believe in the relentless pursuit of academic excellence and development,” Ally emphasised, noting that pursuing the degree was challenging but ultimately rewarding.

The communications specialist stated that his journey was considerably manageable due to his persistence and commitment to the programme as well as the unwavering support of his wife. 

“As a working professional, it was especially challenging after a hard day’s work to muster the fortitude to engage in classes late at night due to the time difference between Guyana and India. Additionally, having a young family, specifically two toddlers, posed additional challenges,” he expressed. 

Notably, one of the highlights during his journey was topping Guyana and India in terms of his performance in the first semester, while maintaining an excellent performance throughout all the other semesters.

Meanwhile, Graphic Designer at the Department of Public Information (DPI), Shaquelle Plato described his academic pursuit as challenging, as it felt impossible at times to complete the programme.

Plato, who completed his MBA in Digital Marketing and E-Commerce, underlined that “Balancing work and studies was no small task. I just endured. I had to sacrifice a lot of personal time, social events, and sleep.”

The graphic designer explained that in addition to completing shorter courses, he plans to dedicate himself to a few personal projects.

“It’s hard for me to settle after achieving any one goal. I’m still young and I have a lot to do and learn…Furthering my studies is still in the cards, but later,” he added.

As a way of encouraging others to pursue their goals, the graduate expressed, “Just keep moving forward. It will never be easy; you just have to follow through.”

A total of 400 persons completed studies through these scholarships at several local institutions in 2022.

Approximately $1.8 billion has been allocated to further advance the programme this year.