COSTATT, UWI and UTT have signed agreements with TATT for the provision of bursaries to selected students amounting to $TT$240,000.00 over two academic years. Under the agreement, TATT will provide bursaries to four students pursuing Information and Communications Technology-related degree programmes, at each of the three tertiary level institutions.
The following is a press release from TATT:
Representatives of College of Science Technology and Applied Arts of Trinidad and Tobago (COSTAATT), The University of the West Indies and the University of Trinidad and Tobago, this morning signed agreements with the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) for provision of bursaries to selected students amounting to $TT$240,000.00 over two academic years.
Under the agreement, TATT will provide bursaries to four students pursuing Information and Communications Technology related degree programmes, at each of the three tertiary level institutions. The selected students will each be granted $10,000.00 by TATT based on their performance during the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 academic years and financial status, in accordance with the Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses Programme.
Dr. Kim Mallalieu, Deputy Chairman of the Board of TATT who delivered remarks at the ceremony described the occasion as momentous “as it marks the start of a progressive partnership between the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago and local state tertiary education institutions, that is certain to add fillip to the country’s future ICT human resource capacity.
She said, “humans are behind technology development and most importantly it is humans who will use the technologies”. It is in this vein, she advised, the Board TATT agreed to provide the bursaries as tangible support for selected students pursuing undergraduate ICT related studies in Trinidad and Tobago with a view to expanding and encouraging the development of this country’s cadre of ICT professionals Dr. Mallalieu told the audience.
TATT’s CEO, Mrs. Cynthia Reddock Downes, who also addressed the audience, informed the audience that today, July 1st TATT celebrates its 18th anniversary making eighteen years of diligently pursuing the development of this country’s telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.
Mrs Downes stated, since its establishment in 2004 TATT was “always mindful of the fact that development of the telecommunications and broadcasting sector required the development of our people to utilize the technologies in their personal and corporate lives”.
She also pointed out that within the last three years strengthening the human resource capacity within this country’s ICT sector accelerated to facilitate the Government of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago’s pursuit of building and maintaining an enabling environment for digital transformation.
Mr. Richard Madray, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Digital Transformation was in attendance, as well as representatives of COSTAATT, The UWI and UTT. The university representatives in their addresses expressed gratitude to TATT for the initiative which they all highlighted will significantly assist deserving students to successfully complete their programmes of study.
Speaking on behalf of COSTAATT was Dr Helen Cumberbatch, Vice President, Student Affairs; Professor Indar Ramnarine, Deputy Principal spoke on behalf of The UWI. Professor Festus Addo-Yobo, Vice President Research, Academic Affairs spoke on behalf of UTT.