222 SC and HSC students receive cash awards to the tune of Rs 6.4 million

Cash awards of Rs 25 000 were handed over to 133 SC students each, while 89 HSC students received Rs 35 000 each. The cash prize ceremony was organised by the Ministry of Social Integration and Economic Empowerment, in collaboration with the National Empowerment Foundation.

The beneficiaries are 177 students from Mauritius and 45 from Rodrigues who have benefitted from the School Premium Scheme and Government has disbursed a total of Rs 6, 440 000 million for the year 2019.

Present at the event, the Minister of Social Integration and Economic Empowerment, Mr Alain Wong, pointed out that Government is committed in its endeavours to cater to the needs of vulnerable families who are at the lower rung of the social ladder. 

Minister Wong also recalled that the School Premium Scheme is a measure announced in Budget 2016-2017 to better empower families registered on the Social Register of Mauritius (SRM). The Scheme, he said, has as objectives to help reduce the dropout rate of students from poor families, thus allowing them to pursue their studies.  The cash award, he indicated, will be transferred into a savings account created for each beneficiary at MauBank and the withdrawal will only be possible when beneficiaries reach 18 years old.

This cash award, the Minister pointed out, symbolically acknowledges the efforts and sacrifices put in by the students in their SC and HSC examinations.  This initiative, he underlined, is expected to allow students from low-income families to attain higher level of education and complete their studies.  He also appealed to the students to seize this opportunity to improve their living conditions and move out from poverty.

Government Information Service, Prime Minister’s Office, Level 6, New Government Centre, Port Louis, Mauritius. Email: gis@govmu.org  Website:http://gis.govmu.org