M&M Jamaica increases investment in education

Civil engineering firm M&M Jamaica Limited through its Chance Fund has again boosted its outreach programme with six new tertiary scholarships for promising and deserving students. The successful applicants may access up to $375,000 per year for four years, Managing Director, Don Mullings said.

This announcement was made at a recent ceremony held at the company’s office in Kingston where Mullings along with company Director, Richard Mullings and several members of staff handed over $500,000 worth of mathematics equipment to the St. Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) Head of Mathematics Department, Kisha Francis-Forrest. She was accompanied by other members of staff and students, President of the Past Student Association  Donald Foster along Kimone Thompson, past student.  The equipment are for use in the Mathematics Department of the school. In addition, one of the six new scholarships will specially be awarded to a student or graduate of STETHS pursuing Mathematics or Engineering at the tertiary level.

Referencing the scholarships, Don Mullings explained that St. Elizabeth Technical was selected because of the school’s participation in the company’s annual mathematics competition, and also because several members of the company’s management team are graduates of the school.

Meanwhile, the remaining five scholarships will be awarded to applicants from communities in which the engineering and project management firm has completed major projects.These include:

• Old Harbour, Catherine
• Brompton, Elizabeth
• Ann’s Bay/Ocho Rios area
• Tarrant, Kingston
• Kingston and St. Andrew
• Vineyard Town/Franklyn Town, Kingston 5
• August Town/Lawrence Tavern, Kingston 6
• Constant Spring, Kingston 8

In accepting the donation Francis-Forrest expressed gratitude on behalf of the STETHS family for the company’s support. The supplies she explained would further the school’s existing initiatives to improve students’ performance in mathematics which are already bearing fruit with passes in the subject moving from 30 to 85 percent over a relatively short period. The teacher also congratulated Don Mullings for his foresight in establishing the M&M Mathematics Competition and for creating avenues to assist students requiring financial aid, to improve themselves.

The sentiments expressed by Francis-Forrest were also echoed by Foster who encouraged the students to continue aspiring for excellence and recommitted the association’s dedication to supporting the school.

Don Mullings further commended STETHS for its sporting and academic excellence over the years and invited all past students as well as other businesses to join M&M in making the advancement and development of  our youth, Jamaica’s greatest asset, a priority.

The M&M Scholarship programme is financed through the M&M Chance Fund, established to drive the company’s outreach programmes, which include the M&M Mathematics Competition for high schools in St. Elizabeth and other charitable projects.