Prime Minister Dr. Hubert Minnis and other senior government officials toured the Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute (BTVI) yesterday getting a firsthand look at classrooms at the Old Trail Road campus.

Some $2.6 million have been budgeted towards free tuition for students at BTVI and according to BTVI President Dr. Robert Robinson, registration at the Nassau campus is up some 26 percent in the last two years and 100 percent in Grand Bahama.

Addressing students in attendance, Dr. Minnis told students that he wants them to succeed. 

“The only thing I ask of you is that you attend your courses, you study hard and you succeed that’s all I want,” he said.  

“I want to see you all succeed so that when I and my colleague minister and others depart from this world, we will at least be able to rest in peace knowing that we left The Bahamas in great hands.” 

Family Island students attending the University of The Bahamas will receive an allowance of $500 for their living accommodations.

Dr. Minnis informed students that BTVI students will receive the same benefit. 

“I have spoken with the financial secretary and I would have asked the president to provide us with the number of students attending BTVI from the Family Islands so that they too can receive the same benefits as those at the University of The Bahamas,” Dr. Minnis explained.  

“Now let me get something straight to you, the $500 is not given to you to put in your pocket. The $500 as you are encouraged to live in family homes and rental facilities, the $500 is given to the landlord.”   

BTVI President Dr. Robert Robertson said the grant to Family Island students will make a significant difference to students in the future.

“It will make an impact in the future, but I think families and children make decisions earlier and so they are already here because they already made the decision based on the fact that they were not eligible at BTVI,” Dr. Robertson said.