THREE basic schools have been selected by Sagicor Foundation to be a part of its Adopt-A-School Programme for the 2018/2019 school year.

The schools are Clifton Basic School in Portmore, St Catherine; Chantilly Basic School in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland; and Tobolski Basic School in Brown’s Town, St Ann. They were selected based on their varying needs after a nomination and assessment process, a recent release from Sagicor said.

The release said the Adopt-A-School Programme aims to invest in the long-term sustainability of the schools through overall improvement of the institutions’ infrastructural development.

At Tuesday’s official launch for the new cohort of adopted schools at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel, Sagicor Foundation Chairman R Danny Williams beamed with pride as he spoke to the rich history and legacy of the Adopt-A-School Programme, which dates to the days of Life of Jamaica.

Williams noted that Sagicor Foundation remains committed to caring, inspiring and serving, with the aim of helping to create a brighter and better future for the nation’s children, setting them on a path to achieving greatness from a tender age.

“With a focus on contributing to creating a sustainable environment for our children to learn, our hope is that at the end of the partnership, with an upgraded, comfortable and safe space to learn, the students will be well on their way to becoming the next big movers and shakers in their generation,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sagicor Bank CEO Chorvelle Johnson, in her address, shared that Sagicor remains committed to its vision of “improving the lives of the people in the communities in which we operate”, noting that the Adopt-A-School Programme is just one example of the many initiatives the foundation undertakes that positively impacts the lives of Jamaicans.

Since its inception, the adopt-a-school programme has positively impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of children islandwide and has left an indelible mark in the various communities where the schools are located, the release said.

For last year’s programme, the release said Sagicor Foundation invested more than $12 million in upgrades for three basic schools and is projected to invest approximately $15 million at the three new schools to the programme.

The funds will primarily be used to enhance the schools’ physical infrastructure – ranging from building additional classrooms, sick bay, fixing roofs, lighting and bathroom fixtures, and expansion and upgrades for play areas. In addition to renovation works, as part of the programme, several social and educational activities are held for the children throughout the period, to include a Christmas treat, health fair, reading day, and school’s closing fete, the release said.