{ முகநூல் கருத்துக்கள்}{ட்விட்டர் கருத்துக்கள்}

We are in the beginning of a new academic year. Hundreds of Kayalpatnam students would seriously be contemplating what colleges to join and what courses to pursue. For a few of those students, there will be another major worry: WHERE TO GET THE MONEY FROM TO JOIN A COLLEGE AND PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION.

We do not have the exact figure on the total educational assistance requirement in Kayalpatnam. Around 350 students clear their HSC (Plus Two) exams every year. If we were to assume (there is no hard data available) 30% of those students would be in need of educational assitance, we have about 100 students in need. If we were further to assume, of this 100 or so students, about 40% would be engineering aspirants, we have about 40 students seeking assistance to join engineering colleges and another 60 students seeking to join Arts and Sciences colleges.

Based on this, we can project an annual scholarship requirement of about Rs.15 lakhs! This is for new admissions only. Add to this, second, third and fourth year fees, the requirement would top 60 lakh rupees annually! (This is only an estimate and probably a close one)

Many Kayal Welfare Organisations have educational assistance in their priority list - in addition to health and other assistances. It is very important - educational assistance be given the TOP most priority, in fact a major chunk of the budget.

There is an old saying: Feed a hungry man and he would be hungry again. But teach him how to fish, raise a crop and he would never be hungry again.

The students we help today by way of scholarships - would - in 3 or 4 years from now - become graduates, find a good job and be independent. He/she would be taking care of his/her family. This would mean - neither this student nor his/her family would ever again approach a Kayal organisation for health or other assistances. A coordinated effort (say a five-year plan) to assist every Kayalpatnam student in financial need (and later assist him or her to get a good job) is needed. Various Kayalpatnam Welfare Organisations and individual philanthropists must open their purses more this academic year to realise this vision.