NORANDA Jamaica Bauxite Partners, located in Discovery Bay, St Ann will spend over $14 million on education this year.

The company’s community relations officer, Kent Skyers, made the announcement at the company’s GSAT awards ceremony held at the Cardiff Hall Hotel in Runaway Bay, St Ann last Wednesday.

The top boy and girl in the 2014 Grade Six Achievement Test from schools in the company’s operation areas were each awarded $25,000. The top performers, Silas Coley and Zorian Clarke came from Brown’s Town Primary

Over 60 students were awarded.

In addition to the over $1 million in scholarships, the overall top boy and girl both received Dell laptop computers from the company.

The scholarships account for only a portion of the company’s contribution to education. Over 80 tertiary students were employed in the company’s summer employment programme, providing them with money to help with their back-to-school preparations.

Additionally, another group of students entering the tertiary level will be awarded bursaries. Skyers put the number at over 80.

Noranda has not only been contributing towards the education of the students in St Ann, but has been focused on the overall development of students. This summer over 300 students at the primary school level participated in the company’s mini league programme.

Some of those who spoke at the GSAT awards ceremony on Wednesday lauded the company for the way it has undertaken its corporate responsibility, especially in education.

David Wong-Ken, Noranda’s director of property and legal affairs, said that the company giving towards education and other programmes was more than a corporate act,… it can be seen as a contribution towards nation building.

He said that Noranda draws mainly on St Ann for its labour force and so it is important to ensure that the people are educated.

“We are honoured, we are pleased to have this opportunity. This is our community…this is where we have to look for our labour pool. For us it is more than a social obligation,” Wong-Ken said.

While the company was congratulated for the assistance that it gives annually to students, guest speaker at the awards ceremony, Rosalee Gage-Grey called on parents to make the necessary preparations for their children’s future.

“Start to prepare for your children’s tertiary education because the children are doing well,” stated the chief executive officer of the Child Development Agency.

She pointed out that many students had been successful in their CSEC examinations, some earning 10 or more subjects, but cannot move on to tertiary education due to a lack of money.

She told the parents of the awardees that it is important to plan for their children.

Zorian Clarke’s mother, Carlene Millen was excited for her daughter’s success.

“I am very proud of her, she has done well. I have been nagging, nagging her during her GSAT time and in the end it paid off very well,” Carlene Millen said.

Millen said that she was happy that her daughter also received a laptop as she had always wanted one.

“She was yearning for one. I just have to hope and pray that she continues to do her best in all her future endeavours and I will be behind her 100 per cent,” Millen said.

Clarke, who has won several awards as a result of her GSAT success, was also excited.

“I feel very happy. I feel very, very excited,” said Clarke, who will be attending St Hilda’s High School.

In addition to its assistance to students, Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners hosted an education fair

in Discovery Bay recently, helping students to gather information which can be useful in their transition in the education process.