There are 48 students in the Federation who are attending high schools with assistance from Social Security – 13 in Nevis, 35 in St Kitts. That is to say, in each form in each high school, 6th form and the CFBC, there is a student whose studies – whose future – is being financed in full or in part by Social Security. This is not an obligation on our part but rather is a role that has been taken on as part of our corporate and social responsibility. These students were chosen on the basis of need and academic ability. They are all bright.
This assistance, the Susanna Lee High School Scholarship, is now worth $4,250.00 per student, not counting the cost of the ancillary services such as mentorship, workshop and internship. It was begun in 1983 and has helped 133 students so far. Some notable graduates of this scholarship programme are the Hon. Mark Brantley and Leslie “Sugar Bowl” Morton.
In addition to the high school scholarship, there are the Robert E. Manning University Scholarship and the Stanley Amory Technical Scholarship. These two are tenable at institutions of higher learning. The Manning Scholarship has been ongoing for 14 years while the Amory Technical was introduced in 2007. These are three-year scholarships leading to the award of a bachelor degree. Awardees must preferably be enrolled in a university in the region. To date 16 persons have benefited. Maritza Bowry was the first to obtain a B.A. (Accounting), courtesy of Social Security, and Mr. Mark Caesar, currently at a university in Michigan, USA, is the first to obtain the Technical Award.
In addition to the financing of high school expenses, Social Security offers summer jobs to its scholarship holders wherever possible and has instituted a mentorship programme. Thus it was that on Thursday April 10, ten of the 11 Nevis students, their mentor, Mrs. Lornette Manners, their guidance counselors and facilitators Mrs. Juliette Walters and Nurse Lorraine Archibald gathered in Charlestown for the Test Takers Workshop.
This two-hour session covered topics including ‘Success is an Attitude’, ‘Healthy Bodies –Healthy Minds’ and ‘Test Taking Strategies’. It was designed to assist the students prepare for upcoming and future exams and followed up on an earlier activity in which study techniques and tips were imparted to the students and their parents.
At first the students were like hostages, fearful and quiet, cowering in their chairs until Mrs. Walters energized them and made – yes made – them develop a spirit of excellence, a spirit of greatness within themselves. Nurse Archibald spoke of the importance of diet, rest, exercise, avoidance of stress and drugs, and linked these to positive attitudes and successes in school. Eat right – a piece of meat, vegetables, legumes, fruits and water in correct proportions. Eat breakfast!
Then mentor and educator, Mrs. Manners, administered a 13-point checklist for test-taking in multiple choice format which, on completion, became the focus of discussion.
This exercise was followed up the next day with an EC$2,500.00 donation to the Foreign Languages Club of the Charlestown Secondary School to facilitate their visit to Guadeloupe and their immersion in all things French during the vacation.
So what does this have to do with reform of Social Security? The sitting Minister of Social Security, Hon. Sam Condor, is also the Minister of Education. When he launched the reform initiative in April 2007, he went on record as wanting to introduce an educational benefit targeted towards degrees. Right now the benefit is for a few and is a privilege. The Minister suggested making it a universal right. To be sure, we are already funding this type of education, but mostly through loans disbursed through the Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis.
In 2007, an additional EC$5 million was loaned to the bank, bringing our total commitment to their education portfolio to EC$16million!
In our public meetings, we have thrown this idea out and people have responded positively to this suggestion. The benefit has not yet been finalized nor costed, but it will be geared towards university education and will require either additional contributions or a reduction in existing benefits. The nation’s target is to have at least 15% of our population obtain university level education. This is what will help us to maintain and increase the forward march of nation building and help us to escape the moniker of third world status. Do you want it?
Next Wednesday (April 30), our reform meetings take place at Barnes Ghaut Wesleyan Holiness Church and Ivor Walters Primary School, Prospect, in Nevis and the Conaree Community Center and Bronte Welsh Primary School, West Farm in St Kitts, starting at 7:00 p.m. Come and share your views on this and any other aspect of our operations. Write to us at P.O. Box 79, Basseterre, ssb.reform@socialsecurity.kn, or visit our offices in Basseterre or Charlestown. Or do like many people are doing now – talk to us on the street. We don’t mind!
