Tuesday, May 06, 2008
$99 million in scholarships by N.C.B. Foundation
Over the last four years, N.C.B. Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Jamaica Ltd., has awarded over $99 million to over 50,000 students for tertiary, secondary and primary level scholarships and grants. This scholarship programme is just one way in which the N.C.B. Foundation shows its dedication to the advancement of education in Jamaica.
Our vision of a better Jamaica through education has been made into a reality with the financial support and commitment of NCB Jamaica Ltd., which contributes 1% of its profits from Keycard purchases every month to the Jamaica Education Initiative (JEI). The JEI is one of two funds managed by the N.C.B. Foundation.
The Foundation’s objectives are focused on discreet activities that will attempt to fill the gaps currently found in the education sector in our country. The Foundation works in collaboration with other private sector organizations, various government agencies, and many NGOs and CBOs to meet the educational needs felt by so many across the island.
The Foundation has two major programmes that it has been involved with over the last several years: the Tertiary Level Scholarship Programme and the CXC Fee Sponsorship Programme for Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business. But, this is only the beginning of where the Foundation gives its support. In 2007 alone, the Foundation gave over $27.4 million on a variety of education initiatives: after-school homework support; leadership and youth empowerment; workshops for teachers; and, reading and math programmes. A significant amount of JEI resources also went towards the purchase of computers, printers, books and other educational resources for hundreds of schools.
In the last 4 years, the Foundation has committed over $56 million towards the upgrading of school facilities from Negril to Morant Bay, from Trelawny to Old Harbour Bay. The Foundation is a strong believer that all students need to be provided with an environment conducive to learning. Unfortunately, this is not the case for many young people attending schools both in our inner city neighborhoods, as well as our rural communities. The Foundation has funded the upgrading of school libraries, computer labs, bathroom facilities, kitchen facilities, and classrooms. As a response to the damage caused by Hurricane Dean in September 2007, the Foundation approved $15 million towards the reconstruction of schools badly affected by the storm. Over 14 schools received funding from the Foundation under this programme, with most schools to be found in St. Elizabeth, Westmoreland and Manchester.
The N.C.B. Foundation’s 2010 vision is to see increased opportunities for students to receive a tertiary level education. The Foundation hopes to achieve this through interventions in several areas:
an increase in our funding levels towards tertiary level scholarships;
the continuation of the CXC Fee Sponsorship programme for POA/POB; and
training and development opportunities for teachers;
The Foundation will embark on another major initiative. Its energies will be focused on identifying programmes that will seek to increase mathematics scores at the CXC level. In June 2008, the N.C.B. Foundation CXC Mathematics pilot project, which has been ongoing over the last three years, will come to an end. The Foundation is eager to evaluate the programme, with the hopes that some useful and replicable interventions can be learned by the results of the pilot project.
The N.C.B. Foundation continues on a path as a leader in corporate social responsibility and will endeavour to find meaningful ways to enrich the lives of the Jamaican people.
