Education Minister Robert Lewis (left) accepts cheque from LIME’s Terry Finisterre
Telecommunications company LIME presented a cheque of $3,000 to Education Minister Dr. Robert Lewis in support of the top Common Entrance students from the Castries South constituency.
The monies will distributed through the Castries South Partial Scholarship Fund, which is aimed at helping students who excel at the exams and others who are in need of assistance to attend secondary school.
A small handing-over ceremony was held in that regard at the Castries South Constituency Office in Ciceron, Castries.
According to Lewis, who is also a past teacher, the Castries South Partial Scholarship Fund was established in 2007 shortly after he got elected into politics. That initiative, he said, was deemed necessary when he recognised the need to assist the lesser fortunate students in the constituency.
The education minister said that while many students had access to a high school education they were sometimes unable to obtain one due to financial constraints on their parents.
“What we have realised is that even if you assist the top performers you still end up having to assist another 20-30 students who may not have the ability to go because their parents are not able to afford it, and therefore this year… once I started soliciting assistance for these young people, LIME agreed to be one of the donors this year and therefore I am very pleased that LIME has come on board. They didn’t hesitate. Once it was for education LIME agreed that they would …” Lewis said.
“I know that it will go a long way in assisting as many students as possible,” the minister said, while noting that after the top 10 performers are awarded scholarships, the fund will look to assist 30-40 more students who are in need.
Scholarship recipients will receive $400 vouchers each.
“We will assist as many as we can based on what we raise…we give vouchers because we want to make sure they use it on education,” Lewis assured.
Meanwhile, Corporate Communications Executive at LIME, Terry Finisterre, said his company is pleased to come on board.
He stated LIME is very passionate about matters regarding the youth. He said the company is cognizant of the fact that many of the top performers in Common Entrance often have to overcome very difficult circumstances in their personal life due to lack of money.
He said it is important to recognise students who are able to excel even through these tough times.
“They need to be commended and supported,” he said.
He noted that LIME was willing from the get-go to donate to this cause. “Being able to help out in any small way is important.”
Finisterre said LIME takes these matters very seriously.
An official ceremony to present the scholarships to the top students in the area will take place on Friday, July 18 in Ciceron.