Michael Lee Chin, chairman of NCB Jamaica, at a press conference in Kingston on Wednesday. With him is Minister of Education Maxine Henry-Wilson. -Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer

After spending more than $50 million to allow local students to sit specific Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) business-related examinations, the National Commercial Bank (NCB) has been forced to revamp its programme as a result of the failure of more than half the entrants to turn out for the exams.

Michael Lee Chin, the bank's chairman, announced on Wednesday that it would be implementing new guidelines for the NCB Foundation's Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) sponsorship programme, which will now be facilitated under Phase Two of the Jamaican Educa-tion Initiative (JEI).

Under Phase One - launched to much promise and fanfare in May 2003 and which ended in December 2005 - the bank covered the full cost of the examination fees for all entrants sitting the two CXC business subjects, Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business.

However, it was found that nearly 70 per cent of students whosesubjects were paid for abandoned the exams.

Streamlined process

Now, with its revamped programme, the bank has streamlined the process to ensure that Jamaican students with the most need gain access to financial relief.

"Following the end of Phase One of the JEI, it became necessary to re-evaluate and revamp our CXC sponsorship programme because of the low trend displayed by students sitting the exams," Mr. Lee Chin said.

One of the criteria under the revised programme, which will be implemented in 2008, is that students whose subjects will be paid for should have attained an average of 70 per cent or higher in the core subjects.

At the same time, Alphansus Davis, president of the Association of Principals and Vice-principals, said yesterday that with these new guidelines proposed by the corporate entity, there might be a higher turnout of students at the exams.

"It will take into consideration students who are serious about the exams, and not the students who are sitting because there is a programme," Mr. Davis, who is also principal of Spaldings High School in Clarendon, told The Gleaner.

Maxine Henry-Wilson, the Minister of Education and Youth, who was present at the launch, said it was a landmark event in the history of the country's education system.

"We look forward to the initiative but also the role of students to maximise this programme for their future, as well the future of our country," Mrs. Henry-Wilson said.

During the first phase, NCB's financial relief amounted to more than $50 million and covered more than 42,000 student entries.

Guidelines to be followed

The school's percentage of students sitting the examination in the past two years should be 90 per cent or higher.

The financial need of individual students will be assessed, based on the school's recommendation.

Additionally, the individual academic performance of students in fourth and fifth forms in the respective subjects should be an average of 70 per cent or higher.