NIS contributes handsomely to education

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Parent Category: Sept 2011

Category: Week ending Sept 03rd, 2011

Published on Friday, 02 September 2011 00:23

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The State-owned National Insurance Scheme (NIS) has continued to invest heavily in the development of the nation’s children. For the past year, just over $100,00.00 was spent, bringing to date $1.2 million the total amount pumped into the scholarship programme to benefit local children. Seven new students, one from each Parish including Carriacou, have been added to the programme that is now into its 16th year.

The scheme, which was initiated by the 1979-83 left-leaning People’s Revolutionary Government (PRG) of, executed Prime Minister, Maurice Bishop held its Annual Scholarship Retreat at its corporate office on Melville Street, St. George’s last week Saturday. Chairman of the Board of Directors of NIS, Philbert Lewis defended the huge amount of money that goes into the programme on the grounds it was being spent as an investment for a good purpose and not as an expense.

He said that the scheme is cognisant of the importance of education, especially for the foundation of the social and economic growth and development of the country. “An educated population and the knowledge being used positively can move mountains,” he remarked.

NIS’ Human Resource (HR) Manager, Janice Francis who gave an overview of the programme that began in 1995 said the initiative currently has 48 students enrolled and that over the past 16 years, some 139 students have benefited. Eight students who are on the NIS Scholarship Programme wrote the CXC Exams, and according to Francis the results are excellent, ranging from 8 to 11 passes.

The NIS Scholarship Programme is further expanded by granting continued scholarships to students to further their education at the T. A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC). Francis said a student who obtains at least seven CXC passes including English Language and Mathematics with distinctions in at least four subject areas including English Language would be further financed for two years. They are given in the range of $2,000.00 -$2,200.00 annually. In addition, payments ranging up to $600.00 per student are given for CXC Examinations.

The payments to students attending TAMCC are in the region of $2,800.00 annually, in addition to examination fees in the region of $300.00 per annum. The NIS HR Manager said four students who were granted further scholarships to TAMCC are continuing into their second year. She singled out Kitaka Mawuta, one of the beneficiaries, being able to perform at the top by maintaining a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.58 way above the expected 2.5 that is required by the Board.

NIS scholarship winners are required to maintain an average of 60 percent at the secondary school, and a GPA of 2.5 at TAMCC. They are also required to maintain a good record of punctuality, honesty and deportment, as well as attend the NIS Annual Scholarship Retreat and Counseling Session, and to participate in social activities when planned. Minister for Social Security, Glynis Roberts who congratulated the new awardees lectured them in appreciating the scholarship.

Minister Roberts urged the young incoming secondary school students to study hard, do their assignments and homework, and read at all times. She said it is through reading they will be able to gain lasting knowledge. The female government minister spoke of the need for the students to exercise a good level of deportment and stressed the need for parents to provide a supportive environment for the children.

Minister Roberts indicated that children are faced with many challenges, and if parents were not careful they would take control of them. “Children have many challenges. There is peer pressure, there is bullying in some of our schools, the gang violence still exists. Your children are your responsibility, make sure they do their homework, look at their books at the end of the day,” she said. According to Minister Roberts, the students who are benefiting from NIS funds have made everyone proud and urged them to strive for excellence.

She told the students that they are now entering a new phase in their lives and they should see the investment made in their educational development as a partnership between the NIS and themselves. The awardees are selected from a list of students that is submitted by the Ministry of Education, which receive them from principals of the various primary schools in the country. The final selection is done through an interview process that is conducted by the NIS.

The criteria set by NIS is that students who would have performed well at the Common Entrance exams, and face financial challenges in being able to access a secondary school education.

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