Grant introduced to promote science and technology

The government is to launch a national solidarity grant, with priority for students from poorer families, as part of its programme to promote scientific and technological studies.

Higher Education Minister Steve Mbikayi presented his new programme to university leaders, employees in higher education and research, and students, reported Le Potentiel of Kinshasa.

The plan, approved by heads of higher education institutions, aims to revitalise studies in science and technology, in which students show little interest.

According to Mbikayi, some courses were packed with students while there was no demand in others, reported La Prospérité of Kinshasa.

“If in law, communications and other university courses, students lack places. In scientific and technological fields there is a lack of students,” said Mbikayi. “This programme aims to raise the value of certain courses which are tending to disappear, and also to improve living conditions for some.”

A central feature of the programme is the national solidarity and excellence grant which targets young people from modest families, orphans and women, “but also all young people who want to take up the selected courses and who fulfil the entry conditions,” he said.

Students who follow the courses will be exempt from university fees.

“It’s no secret for anyone that development is today, more than ever, dependent on command of science and technology. Now, the use of those domains around which high technology and scientific innovations gravitate means that young people must be very well trained in the exact and pure sciences.”

This article is drawn from local media. University World News cannot vouch for the accuracy of the original reports.