347 students to receive cheques, book certificates valued at $600 Monday

As part of the “Adopt a Classroom” project done through the Zero Hunger Trust Fund, 347 grade four and grade three students will each receive cheques and book certificates amounting to over $600 on Monday.

Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves made this announcement while speaking on the Morning Cup program on NBC radio on Wednesday, July 1.

According to the Prime Minister, on July 6, the students, who attend the Barrouallie Anglican, Calliaqua Government, Clare Valley Government, Fancy Government, Lauders Government, Rose Hall Government, Barrouallie Government, Chateubeliar Government, Fair Hall Government, Gomea Methodist, Mayreau Government, and Sandy Bay Government schools, will receive the assistance.

“All of them will get $350 cash, in a cheque, and those who are entering grade three will get a book certificate valued at $290, additionally…and for those going to grade four will get one for $330, a book certificate,” the Prime Minister informed.

Therefore, “adopted” grade three students will receive assistance to the tune of $640, and for the grade four students, it will be $680.

“Adopt a Classroom” started in 2016/2017 when the children were in Kindergarten, the Prime Minister explained.
“In other words we’ve seen them through the whole period – we taking them day by day, sweet Jesus…day by day, month by month, year by year,” he reiterated.

He said that the schools selected for assistance from this project are the areas highlighted in the 2012 census “where you had some of the most intractable areas of poverty.”

“….One of the actionable items in the Zero Hunger Trust Fund policy, their framework, is to review and improve the provision of resources such as books, uniforms and meals to maximize primary school attendance. Because education is one of the ways out of poverty,” Gonsalves further explained.

The Zero Hunger Trust Fund was set up following SVG signing onto the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, one of which is the eradication of poverty.