June 13, 2006
Mission Science grants 5,000 scholarships

(Bolivarian News Agency /Ministry of Communication and Information) - "Universities are a basic factor to strengthen scientific and technological capabilities that will make possible the development of Mission Science through postgraduate studies and the updating of elementary and high school teachers.

When evaluating Mission Science, Venezuelan Minister of Science and Technology (MCT, Spanish acronym), Yadira Cordova, affirmed that this program financed nearly 5,000 scholarships for graduate studies in its first quarter.

The head of this office also pointed out that thanks to an agreement endorsed with the Ministry of Higher Education (MES, Spanish acronym), 23 technological institutes join Mission Science. This will make possible the creation of 50 laboratories in different universities.

Minister Córdova stated that 44,000 people to take postgraduate courses and 187 Bolivarian high school teachers from Miranda and Vargas state, as well as from the Capital District, have been trained so far.

Likewise, 178 students were chosen as tutors to train people on information technologies.

The minister of science assured that, 11,000 professionals, 24 hired consultants, 300 micro, small, and medium-sized industries, 133 endogenous development centers and 263 Innovative productive networks register for Mission Science during the last semester.

Mission Science's progress during the last three months will establish the guidelines in the Ministry of Science and Technology to define its policies and a scientific and technological priority for Venezuela, which has always been defined by the wish of achieving independence through the integration of the popular and endogenous knowledge".