National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited (NCB), through the NCB Foundation, has paid in full the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) examination fees for students who will be sitting the principles of accounts (POA) and principles of business (POB) examinations in May.

This year, $9.5 million was paid to supplement the fees of 4,374 students from 113 schools across the island.

Since the inception of the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC)/CSEC POA and POB Fee Sponsorship Programme in 2003, more than 70,000 student entries have been funded by the NCB Foundation. The programme was established to assist students at the secondary level in meeting the minimum qualification requirement for entry to a tertiary institution. To be accepted into a tertiary institution, students must have passed a minimum of five CXC subjects; currently the Ministry of Education provides subsidies for four subjects. The foundation's commitment to pay for both POA and POB therefore helps qualified students to sit a total of at least six subjects free of cost.

In a release, the NCB Foundation said it would continue its commitment to education through financial contributions and volunteer support in schools.

"Education is the gateway for young people from all socio-economic backgrounds to become successful citizens and contributors to the future of our nation," the foundation noted.

To qualify for the programme, schools must have a 90 per cent sit rate in the respective subject areas and the qualified students' averages in both subject areas must be 70 per cent or higher.

 
Full Caption: Thalia Lyn (left), chairman of the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation, presents an NCB Foundation cheque for $9.5 million to Sharon Burnett (right), deputy director of the Overseas Examination Commission, during a cheque handover ceremony held recently at Ardenne High School in St Andrew. Sharing in the occasion are (from left) Nadeen Matthews, NCB's senior assistant general manager - strategy, marketing and communications; Ardenne High School students, Jordan McGrowder, Kerri-Ann Redwood, Keanu Daley and Ketanaya Stewart; and Nadine M0lloy, principal of Ardenne. Ardenne was chosen to represent the more than 100 schools that will benefit from the foundation's payment of examination fees for principles of business and principles of accounts as the school had the second-highest number of student entries of 138 while Hampton High School in St Elizabeth entered 142 students. - Contributed