KINGSTON, Jamaica – The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, has applauded the action of the Government following the announcement by Minister of Education Ruel Reid that $100 million has been allocated to the university to assist financially-challenged students. Professor Archibald McDonald, Principal of UWI, Mona, in commending the actions of the government in providing financial assistance for the students, stated that the UWI is committed to working with the minister and the Government on the laudable initiative. “We are aware that many of our students face financial challenges and the university does all it can to assist, as exemplified by the $850 million allocated by the university in the 2015/2016 academic year for the provision of scholarships. For the current 2016/2017 academic year, we have surpassed that figure. However, despite strong desire to assist as much as possible, each programme has a set budget by which the administration must abide,” McDonald said. In 2014, under the leadership of Professor McDonald, the UWI ended its policy of blocking all students with outstanding fees from sitting final exams. Currently, the restriction only remains in place for final year students. The intervention of the Government will provide relief for many final year students, enabling them to complete their programmes of study. Balford Henry