Former Minister for Education and current Ambassador of Saint Lucia to the Republic of China (Taiwan), Dr. Robert Lewis, has expressed support for the government’s  One University Graduate per Household policy. The policy is aimed at expanding educational opportunities for Saint Lucians, and now includes the addition of scholarships to Nigeria.

The scholarship announcement was made on June 30, during a special joint sitting of the House of Assembly and the Senate, by His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinubu, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as part of his official state visit to Saint Lucia.

Ambassador Lewis highlighted the significance of the offer, describing it as a timely contribution that advances the national goal of empowering every household through higher education.

“As an educator, I look forward to it because I am very passionate about education, and I believe that it is important to expose people to any sort of education or training,” he said.

Ambassador Lewis pointed out that great efforts have been made by past leaders to  ensure that the gross tertiary education enrollment ratio increases. Saint Lucia’s gross tertiary enrollment was 16.26 percent in 2022, as reported by The Global Economy.

“You cannot deny educational opportunities and expect people to grow,” he said. “We are a small, developing country and Saint Lucians have a voracious appetite for education.”

The Government’s One University Graduate per Household policy is being actively implemented through complementary government initiatives. As of June 2024, the government offered to guarantee concessionary student loans from the Saint Lucia Development Bank. This guarantee covers eligible students accepted into accredited local or overseas universities, helping low-income families or those without collateral to access funding for tertiary education.

Another initiative, the UNI‑PASS Grant, is a one-time endowment designed to ease the cost of obtaining a bachelor’s degree. The grant can cover tuition, accommodation, airfare and visas, textbooks, fees, and transport.