HC Deb 22 February 1979 vol 963 cc292-3W
Miss Joan Lestor

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what plans she has for an increase in the number of student grants to be made available for training in the United Kingdom under the Rhodesian African training programme.

Mrs. Hart

At present some 1,300 Rhodesian African students are being financed from the aid programme for training in this country this year. The main purpose of the programme is to assist in the creation of trained manpower to meet the needs of a future Zimbabwe, and demand for training is such that I believe it imperative to increase the numbers benefiting under the programme.

I have decided that for the 1979–80 academic year suitably qualified Rhodesian Africans who obtain places in a recognised education institution in Britain on courses at intermediate—post O—level, undergraduate or postgraduate levels, broadly related to the development of an independent Zimbabwe and whose training will be to its benefit shall be eligible to be considered for assistance under the programme. The scheme will apply equally to other Rhodesians who have suffered educational disadvantage as a result of the past policies of the regime in Rhodesia and who can be expected to assist an independent Zimbabwe.

Responsibility for day-to-day management has been entrusted to the British Council since the inception of the programme in 1966; it is in addition responsible for placing and counselling those selected for awards, and will now assume responsibilities for initial selection, with guidance from my Ministry. While it is expected that the majority of applicants will seek the assistance of the British Council in obtaining places, some will make their own arrangements. I am arranging for guidance to be sent to educational institutions, so that when considering the admission of such applicants they may be aware of the aims of the expanded programme and the main criteria on which eligibility for awards will be based.

As a first step in the expansion of this programme my Ministry has recently granted awards to some 161 Rhodesian African students, who had enrolled on courses here of developmental value in September-October 1978, but who were without financial support. The cost of the expanded programme, which will be met within the aid programme, is estimated to be £6,000,000 in 1979–80, in addition to £3,000,000 in that financial year for the present scheme.

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