Sterling Products Limited on Thursday handed out bursaries to children of its employees.
A press release from the company said that at the presentation ceremony at its headquarters, Human Resources Officer, Yvette Fiedtkou stressed Sterling Products’ commitment to the bursary award programme. She said that this year’s bursary—a one-off disbursement of $65,000— was for employees’ children who will be starting their secondary education in September.
The seven students who got bursary awards were: Angela Persaud; Alika Shaw; Akeelah Persaud; Emika Thomas; Samir Ishmael; Romel Persaud and Daniele Shaw.
Fiedtkou said that these seven students qualified for the bursary award by attaining at least 75 percent of the total marks obtainable at the 2018 Secondary Schools Grade Six exams.
For more than 25 years, Sterling Products has been contributing to the education of employees’ children through annual bursary awards, the release said.
At the presentation ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Products, Ramsay Ali said “We are happy that we can afford to do this and assist you a little bit as you get into a new area of your life…”
Ali also encouraged the parents to let management know how the children are performing in school.
Assistant Chief Education Officer of the Ministry of Education, Samantha Williams said her Ministry welcomes assistance of this nature and hopes other companies can contribute in similar ways.
“Today is an opportunity that this corporate organization has seized to demonstrate its social responsibility by giving back to its workers and, by extension, the citizens of this country,” Williams said.
Williams cautioned parents of the bursary recipients that their roles and responsibilities have not ended and, in fact, they will become even more difficult as their children move up to the next level on the education ladder.
“We implore you to continue to give them the support that they need and to show that interest you have been showing in ensuring that your children are acquiring the skills that will help them to develop as good citizens of our country,” she said.
Williams called on parents to continue cultivating the habit of learning in their respective homes and not to allow the television and other gadgets to usurp their roles in their children’s upbringing.
“Ensure that as a parent, you create a balance within your home and you are also monitoring the programmes they view on television and the games they play on the various gadgets,” she said.
