Students Receive Help from Education Fund of East Central St. James

MONTEGO BAY — Minister of Tourism and Member of Parliament for East Central St. James, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, has allocated some $11.25 million for scholarships to teachers in training, books and uniforms for students in the area, and to assist the Spot Valley High School's sixth form computer programme.

According to Mr. Bartlett, all these projects have been made possible through the East Central St. James Education Fund, in collaboration with the Rotary Club of St. James and Flow.

The Minister was speaking at a scholarship presentation ceremony at Sunset Beach Resort in Montego Bay on August 26,  where 20 teachers attending teachers’ colleges across Jamaica, were awarded $50,000.00 each in support of their educational development.

He also announced  that some $750,000.00 has been made available for  textbook support for students in schools across the constituency, and some $500,000.00 worth of vouchers for uniform material for secondary and high school students.

Mr. Bartlett indicated that he has adopted the Upper Sixth Form of the new Spot Valley High School, which had experienced difficulties in recent times.

“As the Member of Parliament for the constituency, I have decided to adopt the upper sixth form, the first of this level in the constituency. There are twenty students there and we are going to provide twenty computer stations and twenty computers to make sure that every single child in that upper sixth form is in charge of his or her own station with a computer and the necessary furnishings and attachments,”  he said.

The Principal of the school was presented with $50,000.00 to purchase special textbooks for each of the 10 main subject areas of study for the upper sixth form students.  The books will be placed in a special library to be established in the adopted sixth form of the school.

“The main objective of this special expenditure  is to significantly raise the quality and level of the tutelage in the constituency for enhancing examination  results.  We want our young people to become well established as quality citizens of Jamaica, contributing in various areas of life,” the Minister said.

By GLENIS   ROSE, JIS Reporter