KINGSTON, Jamaica — Forty-four students making their transition to high schools in September have benefitted from a 23-year-old scholarship fund courtesy of Jamaica Energy Partners (JEP) group after excelling in their sitting of Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams earlier this year.

The JEP said an organised handover observant of the current COVID-19 pandemic’s protocols was arranged outside of the group’s Marcus Garvey Drive head office on Thursday, August 20.

The group said students each received a $35,000 scholarship cheque, a commemorative certificate and a 10” ALCATEL 1T tablet including a case and keyboard at a drive-thru awards handover. Students who maintain a B+ average throughout the course of their study will be re-awarded a total of J$1.5million in scholarships annually for five years, the group said.

The PEP Awards drive-thru handover featured an awards package collection area and a pop-up photo booth where their pictures were captured.

The JEP’s scholarship fund which was established in 1997 has benefitted hundreds of students from Old Harbour Bay, West Kingston and East Kingston where the group’s power plants are located.

President and CEO of the power-producing group, Wayne McKenzie, expressed pride at “being able to make this investment as a contribution to the development of the human capital in Jamaica.”

“Educational investment is a core pillar in our social responsibility mandate and this ongoing support is geared at enabling students to take full advantage of educational opportunities. The inclusion of ALCATEL 1T tablets in this year’s awards package is meant to meet the emergent need for distance learning in this pandemic age,” McKenzie said.

In the coming weeks, the JEP said it will also make scholarship grants to an additional 10 tertiary students who have applied up to the August 21 deadline for a chance at being awarded this year.