NCB Foundation to keep increasing bursaries as POA, POB applications rise

No matter the rate at which the number of students who qualify for Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) principles of business and principles of accounts (POA) increases islandwide, the philanthropic arm of the National Commercial Bank, NCB Foundation, is pledging to always expand its bursary to match the figure.

NCB Foundation's Chief Executive Officer Nadeen Matthews, told The Gleaner last Wednesday, following NCB's POA/POB national bursary announcement at Ardenne High School in St Andrew, that the funds provided this year, $13 million, is a "big jump" compared with previous years due to the increasing number of persons interested in or who qualify for those subjects.

The funds have already been transferred to the Overseas Examinations Commission's bank account to cover the examination costs for each of the 4,270 students who will sit the exams.

BIG JUMP

"It's a big jump! (But) our commitment says that if next year 5,000 students qualify, we'll support the 5,000," Matthews said.

"Each year, we go in to support any amount of students that qualify, so each year you'll see the dollar value going up because more and more of our Jamaican students are taking advantage of this bursary and applying, and most of our schools are meeting the qualifying standards, which is the 90 per cent sit rate and an average pass score of 70 per cent."

...Students assisted after CSEC too

Paying for principles of accounts (POA) and principles of business (POB) at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) exam level is not the only way that NCB Foundation contributes to the strengthening of Jamaica's human capital intellectually.

They also sponsor a fair number of programmes at the tertiary level.

"At the end of the day, NCB Foundation, we are a Jamaican company, and if the country doesn't do well, we don't do well. We have a number of programmes, so all our beneficiaries are invited to participate in the NCB volunteer core. Through that programme, we expose them to volunteer opportunities which build their resume and gives them networking opportunities."