MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands unaware of Argentina's scholarships program geared to Islanders
Director of Education Tom Hill confirmed no approach has been made to the Falkland Islands Education Department regarding the free scholarship scheme 
Argentine official Filmus recalled that in the beginning of the 1970s Falklands youngsters were offered scholarships and had studied in Argentina Falklands' Director of Education Tom Hill has confirmed that no approach has been made to the Falkland Islands Education Department regarding a free scholarship scheme with a Patagonian university in Argentina.
The National University of San Juan Bosco, based in the Chubut province in Patagonia is said to be offering 10 scholarships that will include free flights to and from Argentina, an allowance and the possibility of lodging in a university residence.
Argentine official Daniel Filmus recalled that in the beginning of the 1970s (when he was a first generation Argentine teenager), dozens of Falklands youngsters were offered scholarships and had studied on the Argentine mainland.
In 1971 Argentina signed an agreement with the UK allowing it to offer different programs and services to the Falkland Islanders in the health, labor and education sectors. At the beginning of the program five scholarships were offered, expanding to 10 in 1972, and then 30 in 1974.
Apparently the program sponsored (and financed) by Argentina's Education and Foreign Affairs ministries in the future could be extended to other universities in the country.
The University of San Juan Bosco has its headquarters in Comodoro Rivadavia, and campuses in Esquel, Trelew and Puerto Madryn. It's not very clear when it really took off as a regional university, officially 1980 with the fusion of the religious Patagonia San Juan Bosco University (belonging to the Salesian congregation) and the government's National University of Patagonia. Currently it has an enrollment of 13.659 students. (PN).
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Read all commentsIt's hard to see how Argentina can offer anything to people it refuses to talk to.
Sep 04th, 2015 - 09:10 am 0Perhaps a Malvinista could explain.
Maybe Films has pocketed the money already......and which famous Patagonian University was this for ?
Sep 04th, 2015 - 09:11 am 0Did they contact the Dep of Education in the UK?
Sep 04th, 2015 - 09:12 am 0If they didn't then this is pure politics. But for the life of me, I can't work out their angle.
So they have gone from 'non-people' and 'illegal squatters' to being offered 10 subsidised places at a university. Would this not be seen as the islanders exist as a people in Argentina. And how does that look in world politics, would it be seen as offering dialogue or seen as hypocrisy. Giving tax payers money to fund the 'illegal squatters', surely that is treason in Argentina.
Perhaps it is for external consumption, offering paid places to the mainland as a friendly bigger neighbour, so in the UN and other talking shops they can say 'Look we are being nice and offering these 'squatters' a chance to better themselves'.
Personally I think they want to brainwash the Islanders 10 at a time. The problem they seem to have forgotten is that the Islanders are far cleverer than they are.
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