Education Minister Tim Smith has vowed to try to raise the standard of Bermudians' college education by increasing financial assistance.

While disclosing that Government will provide close to $1.2 million in scholarships and awards this year, Mr. Smith told The Royal Gazette he plans to review the amounts.

"There will be changes undoubtedly'' he said yesterday. "Everything should be reviewed and re-engineered.'' Mr. Smith said he was especially concerned about the smaller awards and scholarships.

"Government wants to encourage young Bermudians to go to internationally respected institutions,'' Mr. Smith explained. "And by giving scholarships and awards that are considerably less than the cost of tuition, we may inadvertently be denying them excess to the better colleges and universities.'' "It's about raising standards,'' Mr. Smith added. "Investing in education is one of the most important ways benefit the Island's families.'' He explained that attending competitive colleges and universities would give Bermudians youngsters the needed leading edge.

"It goes without saying that having better qualifications and more varied qualifications increases the choices students have when they come home,'' Mr.

Smith said.

While this year's selection process has not yet taken place, a total of $100,000 has been allocated to Bermuda Government Scholarships.

And a maximum of eight Bermuda Government Scholarships will be awarded with $12,500 given to each student.

Teacher Training Awards, totalling $45,000, will be shared among six recipients giving each student $7,500.

The amount provided for the Further Education fund is $750,000.

The sum for this fund usually ranges between $1,000 and $5,000 while the average awarded is $4,000.

Smith makes education vow Similarly the Interest Free Student Loans, which is a fund of $200,000, has an average award of $3,500.

The UK Fee Differential, which is a fee support scheme sustained by both the governments of Bermuda and the UK, was allotted $85,000.

A maximum of $7,500 will be given to each student applying for reimbursement of all or part of the fee differential.

Over the past five years Government has provided $6.5 million in scholarships and awards alone.

And since 1994 it has guaranteed the loans of about 400 students through the National Education Guarantee Scheme.

Mr. Smith said Government is "really encouraging students to go abroad and receive internationally recognised degrees''.

"We are helping them to prepare for successful careers by offering these monies'' he added.

Scholarship applicants will be attending interviews next week and will be notified of the results by the end of the month.