The Ministry of Education has praised dozens of students who have been awarded government scholarships for the coming year.

In a statement, the ministry announced the names of 68 scholarship winners who won a range of awards worth between $35,000 per year to $500.

Diallo Rabain, the Minister of Education, said he looked forward to seeing the students succeed and contribute to the island.

He said: “Education is and will continue to be a top priority for this government, and it is also an undeniable part of the continued development of Bermuda.

“Through our mandate to support continuing education, significant investments continue to be made, and despite the challenging economic times, our scholarships and awards budget has steadily increased from $1 million in 2017 to the almost $1.5 million we see today.”

Jerzi Riley and Giovanni Hollis both received the Bermuda Government Scholarship, worth up to $35,000 per year for four years, which goes towards graduating senior school students or current college students to fund postsecondary education.

Ms Riley, a Bermuda High School graduate, will pursue a Bachelor of Actuarial Science degree at the University of Cental Florida while Mr Hollis, a Warwick Academy graduate, is enrolled at Northeastern University where he is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in industrial engineering.

Nasya Burgess and D’Angele Symonds were both selected to receive the $25,000 Minister’s Achievement Scholarship, which is intended to help CedarBridge Academy and Berkeley Institute graduates pursue further education overseas.

Ms Burgess will attend North Carolina Agriculture and Technical State University to pursue a Bachelor of Animal Science with a focus on biology, while Ms Symonds will attend Keele University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in environmental science.

Iziah Tucker, a Berkeley Institute graduate, received the $25,000 Minister’s Exceptional Student Award, intended to support students with disabilities.

Mr Tucker, who has already received a Diploma in Culinary Arts at the Bermuda College, will attend the Humber Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning to pursue a diploma in nutrition and healthy lifestyle promotion.

Roneeya Jones received the $25,000 Minister’s Technical and Vocational Award, which is intended to help public school students and alumni at Bermuda College continue their education overseas.

Ms Jones, a Bermuda College graduate, will attend Winston-Salem University to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

Malay Robinson, Tamera Simmons and Aaliyah Lee were awarded the $20,000 Teacher Education Scholarship, which goes to students with sophomore standing who are studying areas of teaching needed in the island’s public school system.

Ms Robinson and Ms Lee, both Berkeley graduates, will be attending Kean University with the goal of becoming a Spanish teacher, while Ms Simons, a CedarBridge Academy graduate, will attend University College Birmingham to become a special-education teacher.

Akelah Hendrickson and Amber Douglas both received the $20,000 Non-Traditional Student Award, which is intended to support applicants over the age of 25.

Ms Hendrickson will be studying for a Bachelor of Science in mental health at the University of Wolverhampton, while Ms Douglas is pursuing a Bachelor of Science in human resource management at the Toronto Metropolitan University.

Aaron-Claude White was named the winner of the $5,000 Minister’s Applied Science Scholarship, which is earmarked to help dual enrolment students complete science and technology-related degrees and certificates at Bermuda College.

Kiara Cheeseman, Richard Johnston, Destiny Richardson, Jelani Simmons, Selay Simmons and Edward van Putton all received the Minister’s Bermuda College Book Award, one-time $500 awards to help the students pay for their books.

Meanwhile, Vincent Darrell has been awarded a $5,000 scholarship to support his business management studies at the at Solent University in England.

Mr Darrell’s award came as a result of a partnership between the Ministry of Education and the Friends of Hope Academy and fully funded by the latter group.

The first-ever award was intended to support a well deserving student who had applied for the Minister’s Exceptional Student Award.

The Government further named 39 undergraduate students and ten postgraduate students as recipients of the $10,000 Further Education Award, which offers funding for college students who demonstrate financial need.