Berendina provides scholarships to disadvantaged A/L students in Kegalle

BEC Manager for Kegalle district Charith Athukorala handing over the official announcement of scholarship to K.A. Madushan Tharaka

The Berendina Employment Centre (BEC) provides six scholarships to deserving G.C.E Advanced Level students and to one university undergraduate student in the Kegalle district as part of its ‘Bright Student Scholarship Program’. 

The Rs. 1,000 monthly scholarships were officially handed over to; Chandima Jayasinghe of Godagampola, Dehiowita, K.A. Mudushan Tharaka of Lower Garagoda, Yatiyanthota, K.K. Kasun Srilal of Thanakolawatta, Hakbellawaka, A.P. Sulochana Madushani Hapugammana, Ampagala and to M.N. Fathima Rushda of Lower Garagoda, Yatiyantota an undergraduate at the Eastern University by the BEC District Manager for Kegalle district, Charith Athukorala at the Berendina office in Yatiyanthota recently. 

Through the scholarship program the six students will be provided with a monthly allowance of Rs. 1,000 per month to cover their educational expenses for a period of one year. The six scholarship recipients were selected on the basis of good academic performance at the G.C.E. Ordinary Level examination namely; obtaining six ordinary level credits including maths in one sitting. All scholarship recipients were from Samurdhi recipient families or families with a monthly per capita income less than Rs. 5,000. The scholarships will be continued for the second year depending on good educational performance by the students and relevant assessments by BEC for suitability. 

The ‘Bright Student Scholarship’ Program of BEC annually awards over 1,000 scholarships to such deserving talented children in the plantation sector and rural Sri Lanka to assist with educational expenses pertaining to their Ordinary Level, Advanced Level and undergraduate studies.  

BEC also provides career guidance and counselling, leadership training, personality development programs to underprivileged school leavers from rural and plantations areas seeking appropriate career paths and self- development opportunities. Provisions of vocational training scholarships and job linkages with over 300 companies in the private sector are also key aspects of BEC’s services towards needy youth. Deserving students interested in pursuing vocational training courses are also awarded Rs. 1,000 monthly allowances to cover their educational expenses. 

Depending on need BEC sponsors professional educational courses of deserving students to the value of Rs. 50,000. Special efforts are also made to provide differently abled youth with appropriate vocational trainings and in the year 2014, 43 differently abled youth were given vocational trainings and scholarships.