The student selection process

 

A new promotion of scholarship students have recently started at PEPY Empowering Youth, so we thought that now provided a great opportunity to share with you some more information on the student selection process.
Prior to the commencement of the selection process, much of the Dream Classes at Kralanh High School are focused on ensuring that the students are aware of all the possibilities and options that are available to them once they leave school. Whilst one of these opportunities is the PEPY Empowering Youth scholarships, students are informed of other scholarships for which they may be eligible and we hold an annual Skills Fair, at which the students are exposed to a variety of prospects. Here, they have the opportunity to meet and speak with representatives from a range of different institutions, amongst which were schools, NGOs, hotels and microfinance companies, amongst others.
The first stage of the application process is for students to complete an in depth form, in which they must answer questions about their ambitions and the ways in which they could benefit from a PEPY Empowering Youth scholarship. This year, we received completed forms from around 40 students at Kralanh High School. The information and answers detailed in the application forms was then explored further in individual interviews, which were conducted by members of the Programs team.
The next stage is for the team to lead Social Investigations with the students shortlisted from the interview process. As part of this the team visits the students’ homes and speaks with their families. The aim of the Social Investigation is for us to establish a clear understanding of the students’ home lives, so that we can assess their situation and ensure that we allocate scholarships where there is the greatest need. It is also important in establishing the level of support the students’ will receive from their families in pursuing a scholarship.
This year we had allocated funding for 15 scholarship places.However, due to a number of factors, at this time, we have welcomed 13 new scholarship students to the PEPY Empowering Youth family. The initial number of students who completed the application process was lower than that of previous year, as was the pass rate of students who took the national exam. In addition to this, a number of students who were shortlisted chose to pursue other opportunities due to their desire to study university degrees or teacher training courses. The decision has been made to transfer the two remaining places, and the corresponding funds, to next year’s Scholarship program.
We are delighted to have welcomed the new promotion of scholarship students and look forward to sharing more about them with you in the future!