ISLAMABAD: The Scottish Government’s International Development Minister, Neil Gray, has announced that the number of scholarships for the Scotland Pakistan Scholarship Scheme for Young Women and Girls, which is administered by the British Council, will be doubled.
According to a news release issued by the embassy here on Thursday, the £500,000 additional funding will double the number of school and university scholarship programs available to women and girls in the worst flood-affected areas, guaranteeing they can continue their education with minimal disruption.
The Scotland Pakistan Scholarship Scheme for Young Women and Girls, which was launched in late 2013, aims to make higher education and secondary education more accessible to underprivileged girls across Pakistan by providing scholarships.
The scheme provides funding for graduate studies for Pakistani women at any HEC- recognized university in Pakistan. This scholarship is also available to young girls in secondary school (grades 8-12), providing underprivileged secondary school-going girls with scholarships, and ensuring that their education is not hampered due to financial constraints – an issue that the majority of girls in Pakistan face.
The scheme offers scholarships in the fields of education, agriculture, sustainable energy, food security, health sciences, and STEM education (only at the Master’s level).
International Development Minister Neil Graysaid that we know that during a crisis, such as we have seen in Pakistan, the impacts can too often affect women and girls. He added that they hope that by doubling the number of available school and university scholarships, this funding for British Council Pakistan will ensure that more women and girls can study, thereby contributing to the country’s long-term economic recovery.
British Council has provided scholarships to women since its inception
Amir Ramzan, Country Director British Council Pakistan said that since its inception in 2013, these scholarships have enabled talented women and girls from underprivileged backgrounds to complete their education at the secondary level and pursue bachelor’s and master’s degrees in fields critical to the overall development of the country.
He said that the doubling of the number of scholarships will allow the British Council to continue to empower flood-affected women and girls and fulfill their aspirations and potential.
Since its inception in 2013, the Scotland Pakistan Scholarship Scheme has benefited over 1,400 young women in Pakistan’s university stream. Over 15,000 schoolchildren have been helped through the school stream.
Through the British Council Pakistan, the Scottish Government funds an annual £400,000 scholarship program for women and girls in Pakistan. The additional £500,000 will be split between school and university scholarships (£200,000 and £300,000, respectively).
