By Petrina Francis, Education Reporter

THE FACULTY of Engineering and Computing at the University of Technology (UTech) has dedicated a scholarship in honour of Anna-Kay Roberts, one of three children who were killed in a motor vehicle accident in St. Thomas two years ago. Anna-Kay and her younger brothers were killed while crossing the road on the way to school.The scholarship is valued at $50,000 per year and is given to a needy student from Anna-Kay's former school, Port Morant Primary and Junior High. The scholarship is valid for five years of the student's secondary education and is to assist students with school fees and other related expenses.

Dr. Gossett Oliver, dean of the faculty said that the gesture was in line with one of the goals of the university, which is community service. He said that this was the reason the faculty contacted Anna-Kay's mother and arranged a scholarship in her honour.

RAISE FUNDS

He disclosed that a concert was held last December to raise funds for the scholarship and the faculty managed to raise $150, 000.

Dr. Oliver was speaking last Thursday at the faculty's annual awards ceremony which was held at the Alfred Sangster Auditorium, UTech, St. Andrew.

Meanwhile, guest speaker, Professor Haniph Latchman, a Jamaican-born lecturer at the University of Florida, told the awardees that Jamaica provides one of the best education that the world had to offer. He charged parents who were present at the ceremony to continue to support their children in their academic endeavours.

IMPORTANCE OF TECHNOLOGY

The importance of technology was fully played out when Minister of Education, Maxine Henry-Wilson and Minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, Phillip Paulwell, addressed the awardees via teleconferencing.

Mrs. Henry-Wilson who admitted that she was nervous delivering her address by way of distance communication, commended the university for recognising engineering and computing. She noted that the countries which had made quantum leaps were those which had treated science and techno-logy with the seriousness that they required.

Xavier Wilks, who received the Perishable Jamaica Ltd. award for the best electrical instrumentation, told The Gleaner that he felt privileged to have been given the award. He attributed his success to his mother.