RICH PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES SHOULD SPONSOR SCHOLARSHIPS

Jul 21, 2017 Letters

Dear Editor,
Now that the results of the National Grade Six Assessment are out, students with the guidance of their parents are busy trying to gain admission to the secondary school of their choice. Placement is usually made centrally in Georgetown by ministry officials based on marks and location. However, many officials in the city are not au fait with the geography of the various regions. Thus, they misplace students based on their knowledge or lack thereof.
How would they know then of the catchment areas for the various secondary schools? Placement of prospective students should be decentralized and placed in the hands of regional education officials. Also, schools should have their own application forms and admit students according to the marks secured and their acceptable range of marks with its cut-off point. Then prospective students can apply to several schools and attend the one that admit them.
Editor, more importantly, affluent persons—business persons like supermarkets owners, rice millers, miners, other business owners and rich individuals, — companies such as GWI, GPL, Courts , banks, insurance companies etc. should offer scholarships to meritorious and needy students. High–achieving and poor students deserve to be given a chance to pursue their ambitions and follow their dreams.
These rich persons and companies have succeeded because they have been patronized over the years by the less fortunate masses without whom they cannot stay afloat much less succeed. Many of them send their profits overseas to foreign bank accounts and put back little or nothing to the communities which they have piggy-backed on the reach their heights. They do not support sports teams and recreational activities, assist in installing street lights, fund school feeding programs or offer free Wi-Fi or make a donation to a hospital or school.
The mindset of the rich getting richer at the expense of the have-nots, that governments should provide all services should be changed. It is high time that our wealthy citizens give back to their regions. Are benevolent and philanthropic persons only found abroad? In Belize there is a national holiday called National Heroes and Benefactors Day in honor of people who built hospitals, institutes and other structures and made large donations to the country. Also, companies sponsor scholarships. Where are our Guyanese benefactors?
Karan Chand
Region 2
Member of the Regional Education Committee

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