Corporate Jamaica Urged to Collaborate with Government to Support Education

Permanent Secretary in the Education Ministry, Audrey Sewell, has called on corporate Jamaica to form collaborative partnerships with the Government to improve the education sector.
According to Mrs. Sewell, the Government was “stretched thin in terms of resources and cannot fix everything, and needs the assistance and commitment of every Jamaican.”
She was addressing the launch of Sagicor Life Jamaica Limited’s Adopt-A-School Programme, targeted at early childhood institutions, which was held yesterday (March 19) at the company’s Knutsford Boulevard branch in New Kingston.
The Permanent Secretary lauded Sagicor Life for exercising its corporate social responsibility by investing in education, noting that the entity fully understood that its role as a corporate citizen, went beyond its contribution to the economy through everyday operations and the provision of jobs.
“Sagicor Jamaica understands the importance of early childhood education. and starting our nation’s children right, right from the start,” she stated.
Under the Adopt-A-School Programme, which will last for five years, each of Sagicor’s 13 branches will adopt one early childhood institution for a year. For 2009, 14 schools have been adopted, as one branch has taken on two institutions.
Financial advisors, branch managers, as well as members of the marketing department, will support the schools’ mentorship and nutrition programmes, make donations, help with infrastructural development and engage in various other activities to develop the schools.
Vice President of Individual Life Sales at Sagicor, Mark Chisholm, stated that the objective of the programme was to positively develop the physical surroundings and improve the welfare of students, in an effort to shape their future, and to “prepare the next generation to carry the nation forward.”
He noted that a critical aspect of the project was making a positive change in the lives of the children through a spirit of volunteerism. “Additionally, we want to inspire and motivate our (financial) advisors and our employees to become true volunteers…working with people to change and impact their lives,” Mr. Chisholm stated.
He said the project involved more than giving books and putting a nutrition programme in place, but would involve employees going into the schools and sitting on boards, supporting the principals and extended communities.
On Labour Day, May 25, the Sagicor volunteers will visit the adopted schools and plant trees, paint classrooms, and improve the bathroom facilities.
Meanwhile, the Permanent Secretary urged all early childhood institutions to register with the Ministry of Education to benefit from the programme. She said that the Ministry was working with Sagicor Life to ensure that schools selected for support have applied for registration and were either in compliance with the Ministry’s regulations, or were making every attempt to do so.