Unicomer gives more laptops for top SEA performers

The Ministry of Education has continued its recognition of top-performing students in this year’s SEA. Minister of Education Nyan Gadsby-Dolly praised Unicomer managing director Clive Fletcher for the company’s donation of eight more devices for the remainder of the top-performing students identified last week Thursday after the release of results.

At last week’s ceremony only the top three performing students received laptops and the remaining eight students were recognised for their efforts by the ministry.

“This is unprecedented,” said Gadsby-Dolly. “Usually you would have an award ceremony and what you have to present you would give it to those who you want to honour and that would be the end of it. “But today we have a corporate citizen of TT who has gone further because when he came to our last ceremony and he saw these beautiful young faces and he recognised that they were only giving three, this corporate citizen said no way, no way could we not also contribute to the lives of all who were there.”

The ministry identified 11 top students, including the top three overall, the top-performing boy, two students from special needs schools and five top performers from schools on “academic watch” that have demonstrated an overall improvement in grades.

The eight students given devices on Friday were Vineet Ramsarran of Eniath Prep, this year’s top-performing boy and seventh overall; Mattia Street of Cascade School for the Deaf and Jordan Thorne of the Audrey Jeffers School for the Deaf, this year's top performers from special needs schools; and Shanira Beebakhee, Adrianna Kerr, Elysea King, Princess Ramlal and Jewel Vaughans from schools on academic watch.

Gadsby-Dolly said Fletcher “went out of his way” to contact the ministry to say the company would be donating devices to the other eight students at last week’s ceremony.

This reflects the people of TT, she said, and though 2020 has been a difficult year, "it has also unmasked a lot in our country. We have seen some truths in this country that was probably hidden for many years and one of these truths is that we are a loving, giving, supportive, wonderful people and we want the best for all of our children and what has happened through the adopt a school program has only exemplified that.”

In his speech, Fletcher said after last week’s distribution of devices, the company also wanted to acknowledge the others.

“Due to the unique challenges faced, these students are unlike those who would have excelled before them.

“I am sure that with the help of their parents, their guardians, well-wishers and their peers, they would have strategically charted a course to ensure their ultimate success by studying regularly and implementing measures to curb their anxiety.

“At Unicomer we motivate our teams to grab the opportunities that present themselves. We would like to promote the same ideology with our future generations.”

The minister said many doubted the ministry would get the support of corporate TT to step up and contribute to the initiative, but it did and Unicomer’s gesture was an example of the generosity of corporate TT.

“I am certain that the children we have here, and all of the children, will soar over…hurdles and with the help of corporate TT, the support of the ministry, teachers and parents, we will make this transition together and we will be stronger for it.”