The Commonwealth of Dominica Commonwealth Scholars Alumni Association (CDCSAA) held the official launching the association on Wednesday 22, January at the conference room of the Windsor Park Sports Stadium.
Coordinator of the association, Jo-Ann George says that the aim of the association is to give more exposure to the Commonwealth Scholarship Fund, thereby allowing more Dominicans to benefit from it. She says while the scholarship has been around for about sixty years, just about 28 Dominicans have been recipients.
Dr. Lennox Honychurch says that part of the reason why more Dominicans may not be benefitting from the Commonwealth program is that the A levels is no longer officially done at the Dominica State College. Honychurh says that Dominica is the only OECS country who no longer officially offers the A levels examinations.
A number of notable Dominicans including Dr. Valda Henry, Dr.Ian Lambert and Attorney Ronald Charles have been recipients of the Commonwealth Scholarship Program. In comparing the other Caribbean countries and Dominica in terms of students accessibility to the Commonwealth Scholarship Program, he says, “But we are lagging behind because you’ve got to go and get your three A Levels,… and thus is something we really must attempt to fix because it is really holding us back in relation to our Commonwealth and other Commonwealth and British associated scholarships”.
