Students at eight primary schools will be greeted by brightly coloured classrooms at the start of the new school year thanks to two local companies.
CIBC FirstCaribbean recently joined an initiative spearheaded by Berger Paints Barbados Limited to beautify primary school classrooms. In addition to corporate Barbados, parent teacher associations (PTAs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are also involved in the beautification project, the brainchild of Berger Paints and entitled Conceive, Create, Cultivate.
General manager of Berger, Shashi Mahase explained that the project is aimed at stimulating greater achievement at Barbados’ primary school by harnessing the power of a cheerful and colourful environment. He said that an environment full of beautiful colours that create “lasting beauty and protection” would stimulate young minds to create, develop and achieve more.
CIBC First Caribbean chose to support eight schools; St Lucy Primary was adopted by the bank’s Speightstown branch; Westbury Primary by Broad Street; Vauxhall Primary by Sheraton; Luther Thorne by the Rendezvous Finance Centre; Christ Church Girls by Oistins while St Catherine’s Primary, Erdiston Special School and Hilda Skeene Primary were all adopted by the bank’s Country Management Committee.
CIBC FirstCaribbean’s efforts were noted by Mahase during the project’s launch at Westbury Primary School recently. Mahase, who noted that 21 schools were adopted by other companies, said that CIBC FirstCaribbean’s involvement had exceeded expectations and he hoped this would encourage and inspire further support.
For most of the painting, members of the schools’ parent teacher associations are expected to provide the manpower, however, CIBC FirstCaribbean’s Director of Retail Banking channels Michelle Whitelaw said that the bank was embracing the project under its Adopt-a-Cause umbrella which means their involvement would also include an aspect of volunteerism, where staff members would help to paint the schools which they had adopted.
Whitelaw said that the bank had embraced the opportunity to be a part of the project in recognition of the overall benefits to the country’s children.
Christina Morris who represented the Ministry of Education at the launch welcomed the assistance of the private sector in the transformation of the classrooms. (PR)
