This year, we have seen over 900 tuition scholarships, each valued at 25,000 dollars approved by the cabinet and over 50 students approved for the disadvantaged student loan, continue to assist the children of the ordinary man and woman advancing their tertiary education. With the reopening of the new SVG open Campus site, having been renovated with funding from the Caribbean Development Bank and our government, we continue to see record-breaking achievements with SVG Open Campus having the most honour roll numbers of all the open campus sites in the Caribbean region.
We continue to encourage our young people to get involved in pursuing skills training and getting certified. Last year, we identified improved Technical and Vocational Education as the next phase of our Education Revolution. With programmes such as ANEW (Another Nexus in Workforce Development), YATE (Youth and Adults Training for Employment Programme) and SKYE (Skills for Youth Employment Programme).
Through these programmes in 2021, over 800 Vincentians engaged in formal TVET training through these programmes, as well as certification courses at the SVG Community College while a further 210 students are currently enrolled in SKYE courses. This year, over $6.5 million will be spent to upgrade technical institutes in Barrouallie, Campden Park, Georgetown and Kingstown; refurbish the Petit Bordel multi-purpose centre and the Canouan Government School to host TVET classes. Since the inception of these programmes, almost 2,000 Caribbean Vocational Qualifications (CVQ)70 and National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ)71 certifications have been awarded to workers nationwide.
We are certifying the next generation of skilled workers in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Armed with these formal certifications, they will be more attractive to local and regional employers.