This academic year, NCB Foundation has continued our support of students sitting CXC Principles of Accounts (POA) and Principles of Business (POB) subjects at public high schools islandwide.

To date, 108 schools have applied for sponsorship for a total of 4,484 student entries, indicating an increase from 100 schools and 4,200 entries for the last academic year.

To accommodate the increase in student entries and the rising cost of CXC subjects, NCB Foundation will sponsor all student entries for this academic year to the tune of $8.5 million. This is a significant increase in the cost of the subsidy from last year, which was just over $5 million.

In 2003, NCB Foundation’s CXC POA/POB fee sponsorship programme came as a result of the launch of the Jamaican Education Initiative by the Hon Michael Lee-Chin OJ, Chairman, National Commercial Bank Jamaica Ltd.

Each year under the programme, over 4000 applications are paid for by the Foundation for students wishing to take CXC POA and POB.

Since the programme began, over $73 million was donated and over 62,000 entries funded (including the current sponsorship commitment for the 2009/10 academic year).

The CXC Fee Sponsorship programme was established to assist students in meeting the minimum qualification requirement for entry to a tertiary institution.

To attend a tertiary institution, students must have at least five CXC subjects. Currently, the Ministry of Education pays for four subjects. The NCBF CXC Fee Sponsorship Programme pays for an additional two subjects, thus ensuring that students have an opportunity to pursue a tertiary education.

To obtain the subsidy, the school must maintain a 90 per cent sit rate over the last two years in either POA or POB subjects. In addition, the students’ academic performance should be an average of 70 per cent or higher in the respective subject areas.

Sheree Martin (far right), CEO, NCB Foundation, hands over a cheque valued at approximately $8.5 million to Hector Stephenson (third from right), Executive Director, Overseas Examinations Commission for a total of 4,484 student entries for the upcoming 2010 Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) examinations. This academic year, NCB Foundation has continued its support of students sitting CXC Principles of Accounts (POA) and Principles of Business (POB) subjects at public high schools islandwide. This year, a total of 108 schools have applied for sponsorship, indicating an increase from 100 schools and 4,200 entries for the last academic year. Also sharing in the moment are (from left) Tia Farquharson, NCB Team Member; Alex Whyte and Trevene Walcott, 11th grade business students at Ardenne High School; and Jacqueline Pinto (second from right), acting vice-principal, Ardenne High School.