School Grateful for Educational Support

KINGSTON — Acting Vice Principal of the Calabar Infant, Primary and Junior High School, Linda Loza, is expressing gratitude for the education support to the school from corporate Jamaica.

Under a back-to-school drive organised by Allied Insurance Brokers and First Global Bank, books, bags and other educational items valued at thousands of dollars have been collected and donated to the school. The Jamaica Biscuit Company (Jambisco) supported the drive, making a large contribution in nutritional support.

Mrs. Loza said the donation will help ease the financial burden on parents and uplift the students.  "Our children will be extremely happy to make good use of these supplies and I am certain that learning will be enhanced," she stated at the handing over ceremony held yesterday (Sept. 14) at the institution located at Sutton Street in Kingston.

Minister of Education, Hon. Andrew Holness, in his address, said the Government fully supports any initiative "to provide our students with valuable service".

"I encourage other corporate citizens to make a contribution to education and support keeping our students in school," he stated.

In his remarks, Vice President for Treasury at First Global Bank, Mark Anderson, said the company is committed to supporting students so that they can "strive to higher heights of achievement and positively impact their communities and Jamaica on a whole".

He said that the donation will help defray some of the costs associated with the purchasing of educational materials, so that the students will be able to focus on the critical aspect of learning from very early in the new school year.

For her part, General Manager at Allied Insurance Brokers, Grace Burnet, stated that the entity prides itself on being a good corporate citizen.

"We firmly believe that for any business to be successful, it must have a corporate social responsibility programme. Since prosperous businesses are supported by a strong customer base and it is only fitting that organisations look to give back in order to show their appreciation," she stated.

The back-to-school drive, which started on August 29, will run until

September 30.  Employees, customers and the general public are encouraged to continue to donate to the initiative, with First Global Bank offering a $10,000 savings certificate to the two highest donors.

The recipient school for the donation was recommended by the Ministry of Education.

By Garfield Angus, JIS Reporter