Bahrain’s Education Ministry officials have hit back at claims that scholarship candidates were excluded from consideration based on their sect.

In recent days, dozens of complaints about the issue have flooded social media network Twitter under the hashtag ‘scholarship massacre,’ with graduates and their family members expressing discontent with the results of scholarship announcements made this year, said a report in the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication.

Some claimed to have not received scholarships despite achieving a pass rate of between 98 to 99 per cent and said it was ‘because of their religious beliefs.’

However, Education Ministry public communications head Fawaz Al Shirqawi told the GDN that all students who did not receive scholarships were welcome to apply for new raft of places that had recently been announced – adding that complaints could be made at the ministry for a week starting August 3.

“Outstanding secondary school graduates have the right to compete for scholarships and grants assigned to them,” said Al 
Shirqawi.

“Outstanding graduates that did not receive scholarships can reapply and compete for vacant scholarship places that have recently been announced.”

The official said that there were several reasons why graduates who had received very high grades might not receive scholarships, as ‘the situation differs from student to student.’

“In some cases students do not apply for all of the 12 scholarships available and just choose two or three specialities,” he said.

“The ministry works continuously to inform graduates of the importance of applying for a variety of specialities during their scholarship applications and of applying for all the options, so that there is a greater chance of them receiving a scholarship.

“However, some students do not follow the instructions and insist on a single speciality.

“The ministry also has a large number of applications for doctors, which is increasing year by year, so the number of scholarships in this field has been increased to include nursing, pharmacy, radiology and laboratory.

“Other specialities which the country requires include engineering, commercial, banking, educational and arts, among  others.”

Al Shirqawi also emphasised that the ministry would not be “subjected to political blackmail” from parties who refuse to denounce attacks on schools.

Elsewhere, MP Mohsin Al Bakri dismissed many of the complaints as baseless.

“I denounce this systematic and deliberate attack on the Education Ministry through people who have a special agenda,” he said.

“This has turned into an annual habit without any evidence or proof for these allegations.

“People are hurling unsubstantiated accusations and question the integrity of the administration, and this cannot be borne.

“The ministry has developed special criteria for applications and complaints are also accepted.”

Meanwhile, outstanding students who have already received scholarships visited the ministry yesterday (July 22) to complete their paperwork. - TradeArabia News Service