UK envoy advocates girls’ education for development

Islamabad : Underlining the girls’ education for national development, British Deputy High Commissioner Alison Blackburne on Thursday hosted a virtual 'welcome back reception' for Pakistanis, who were awarded the prestigious Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships during the year 2020-21.

The scholars recently returned from the UK after completing a fully-funded one-year master’s programme. The event was attended by the representatives of the British High Commission, returning scholars, and Chevening alumni.

The British deputy high commissioner congratulated scholars on completing the programme and welcomed them into the British alumni family, which has around 10,000 members across Pakistan. "Chevening and Commonwealth scholarships bring together some of the brightest minds from across the world to UK’s renowned universities, where they are able to realise their educational aspirations and experience all that the UK has to offer. The scholarship not only brings immediate benefits to individual scholars but also delivers long-term benefits for both Pakistan and the UK," she said.

Alison Blackburne said the UK was committed to promoting quality higher education, particularly for women and girls.

"We [UK] have worked hard over the years to encourage more women to apply for Chevening scholarships, and more than half of the scholars last year were women," she said.

The deputy high commissioner said the scholars returning from their year of study had benefitted from world-class education and had the opportunity to learn more about the UK.

She added that the scholars were part of the deep people-to-people UK-Pakistan ties being marked as part of the celebrations of the 75 years of relations between the two countries.

Alison Blackburne said Chevening was the UK government’s scholarship programme and since 1983, around 2,000 Pakistani had been awarded the Chevening scholarship.

She said the online application window would open next in August for the next academic year 2023-24. "The British High Commission supports inclusion, education, and opportunity for all. Over the years, we have made efforts to encourage more women to apply, as a result of which female scholars have risen from just 6% in 2013 to around 60% last year. Anyone who has the ambition, curiosity, a clear vision for the future and the ability to achieve goals should apply for a Chevening Scholarship. Selected scholars will join a community of over 50,000 alumni worldwide."

The envoy said prominent Pakistani Chevening female alumni included first female judge in Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court Amna Zamir Shah, chairperson of the Special Talent Exchange Programme Abia Akram, journalist Fifi Haroon, former members of the National Assembly Yasmeen Rehman, Asiya Nasir and Nafeesa Shah.

She added that in 2022, around 3,000 potential candidates applied for the Chevening Scholarship in Pakistan.

The deputy high commissioner said the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provided the main UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives.

She said the CSC operated within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan, which was established in 1959 by an Act of Parliament.

"The CSC uses rigorous procedures to ensure that its programmes promote equity and inclusion, reward merit, and deliver widespread access, especially to those from disadvantaged backgrounds. The FCDO is the CSC's lead department and main sponsor, funding awards exclusively for candidates from low and middle-income countries," she said.