Cabinet has agreed to award 324 scholarships this year to the tune of $27 million annually, Education Minister Dr Tim Gopeesingh said yesterday at the post-Cabinet press conference at the Coco Reef hotel, Tobago.

Gopeesingh said this was an increase of 58 scholarships from last year. He said there will be 54 open scholarships and 270 additional scholarships.

The approximate cost for an open scholarship, he said, costs $250,000 annually and additional scholarships $52,000 annually. He said the winner of the President's Medal will be announced next week.

Gopeesingh said open scholarships were awarded to three students in business, three in environmental studies, three in language arts, nine in mathematics, three in modern studies, 29 in science, two in technological studies and two in visual and performing arts.

Gopeesingh also said Cabinet had agreed to lend financial assistance to private special schools registered with the Education Ministry. He said the funding has been increased to $20,970,850 for these schools, which cater to students diagnosed with having special educational needs, for example minor and major disabilities, and students whose socio-economic conditions are not good at this time.

Gopeesingh added that Cabinet further agreed that there be national consultations with stakeholders on students with disabilities, which amounts to some 13,000.