Five pupils have emerged as the first set of beneficiaries of the Dyck Harding Scholarship Fund. The Fund was established in memory of Dr. Festus Bankole Harding (popularly known as Dyck), a scholar and teacher who contributed greatly towards promoting education in Sierra Leone. He taught at the Sierra Leone Grammar School, Prince of Wales School and the Annie Walsh Memorial School.
The five pupils were selected from three secondary schools in Freetown and the scheme which amounted to Le4.5m (Four Million Five Hundred Thousand Leones) covered tuition, books, uniforms and examinations.
The presentation ceremony which brought together parents, Principals of schools that beneficiaries are attending and a host of pupils took place on Tuesday 8th February at the Prince of Wales School in Kingtom where cheques were presented to the awardees.
Beneficiaries for the 2010/2011 academic year’s award include: Julia During and Fatmata Bah from the Annie Walsh Memorial School they received Le750.000 each; Morlai Lahai and Victor Kamanda of the Prince of Wales School also received Le750.000 each while Prince Carlton-Carew of the Sierra Leone Grammar received a cheque of Le1.500.000.
The Chairman of the presentation ceremony Raymond Moshe Roberts encouraged the beneficiaries of the Dyck Harding Scholarship to work hard adding that the scholarship will only continue if the pupils perform well in school.
In her statement the Chairperson of the Dyck Harding Scholarship Fund Committee; Mrs. Yvonne Gibril who happens to be the daughter of Dr. Harding said the fund was set up by the Harding family to support students that are doing well in school but are finding it very difficult to get financial support.
By William Freeman
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