Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Andrew Fahie presents an official Adopt-A-School certificate to Brian Penn, the proprietor of Vangard Security Services & Supplies Limited for adopting the Althea Scatliffe Primary School. Photo: GIS

A group photograph with students of the Althea Scatliffe Primary School holding the newly presented cheque from Brian Penn of Vangard Security Services which he presented to the school as the adopter under the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Adopt-A-School programme.

As part of its initial monetary contribution, Vangard presented a cheque for $5,000 as the school’s adopter under the Ministry of Education and Culture’s Adopt-A-School programme.

“This is a special time since today’s events, serve to emphasise in a positive way the significant change in regards to how public schools are run in the Territory of the British Virgin Islands,” the principal said.

She continued, “If our public schools are to successfully carry out their mandate to provide an active learning environment that will adequately prepare our students for their future learning, and by extension, prepare them for the job market in this constantly and rapidly changing world, the overdependence on government funding will come up extremely short”.

The principal commended the Minister for Education and Culture Hon. Andrew A. Fahie, the Ministry for Education and Culture, the Adopt-A-School committee and the school’s adopter Vangard for the roles they played.

“I must commend everyone who is associated with creating and developing this all important initiative that is designed to bring all of the stakeholders of education together to ensure that our public schools will be well funded so that they can provide our youths with a quality education,” principal Headley concluded.

Hon. Fahie thanked the principal for creating an environment which facilitates the Adopt a School programme.

The Minister also congratulated and thanked Brian Penn the proprietor of Vangard, a young local growing company, for his contribution to the Territory’s education system by way of the adoption. The Minister further extolled the programme as he has in the past saying, “When the community, the business and the Government work together for the betterment of our young people the sky is the limit.”

The Minister added, “Once you invest in the children you invest in the future of the Territory. Once you invest in the future of the territory you are ensuring that your business will be successful”.

Penn in his response said it was an honour for his company to be a part of the Adopt-A School programme as the children are our future and making a meaningful contribution to the community was a desire of his company.

The ceremony incorporated special moments which included two songs from the students at the school and remarks for the Chairman of the Adopt-A-School Committee Carlene Parsons and District Representative Hon. Elvis Harrigan.

The Adopt-A-School Programme was formally launched by the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2008 and serves to provide a necessary link between the schools and their donor organisations to ensure that each school’s environment is conducive to a dynamic learning experience by the accountable and transparent use of donor funds.