FOUR Guyanese students were awarded scholarships by CNOOC Petroleum Guyana Limited (CPGL) on Friday to study Petroleum Sciences in China. The program aims to grant 10 similar scholarships in the next three years.

The academic year of 2023-2024 will see the first four scholars, Nechemiyah Levans, Aria Matthews, Ishika Singh, and Nazeela Williams, beginning their studies in China. Over the next three years, two more students will be picked annually.

The company organised a signing ceremony for the initiative on Friday that was addressed by its President, Mr. Liu Xiaoxiang.

Mr. Liu declared that the project demonstrates CPGL’s strong commitment to the people of Guyana by developing local content and by building local capacity through its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs.

He disclosed that Education is a key pillar among their CSR initiatives and that CPGL has engaged in various CSR programs in the field of education in the last several years.

The ceremony was attended by Minister of Natural Resources, Vickram Bharrat and Her Excellency Madame Guo Haiyan, the Ambassador of China to Guyana.

The Ambassador described the initiative as an example of bilateral co-operation that was led by the commercial sector and declared that it was a good example of a Chinese company giving back to the community, something which her Embassy encourages.

Natural Resources Minister, Vickram Bharrat, welcomed the initiative as a significant contribution to developing the capacity of Guyana’s petroleum sector, and stated that his Ministry was pleased to collaborate with CPGL in the process of selection and postgraduate allocation of the graduates. He lauded CPGL for its commitment to the development of Guyana and to the education sector in particular.

The Minister pointed out that the scholarship awards filled a gap in the provision of tertiary education in the oil and gas sector. CPGL will fully fund the costs of education, transportation and living expenses for each student. Upon completion of studies they would be required to work with either the Ministry or with CPGL for a period of five years.

The scholars were selected after public advertisement by a joint panel comprising personnel from the CPGL and the Ministry of Natural Resources. They all thanked CPGL and the Ministry of Natural Resources for the opportunity presented which they pledged to pursue diligently