FMB pumps K15 million into St Andrews ICT suite - 06/November/08

As part of its commitment to corporate social responsibility and in a bid to support education initiatives to improve the welfare of the communities that it serves, First Merchant Bank (FMB) has donated K15 million to St Andrews International High School's information and technology suite.

The money will be used to install computer equipment to a building funded with support from Beit Trust which has two 20-computer IT classrooms and a 10-computer research centre.

The bank has also pledged to maintain the suite once established.

Speaking during the presentation on Monday, FMB vice-chairman Hitesh Anadkat said he recognises that the world is heading towards high IT dependency and imparting IT skills to students arms them with knowledge for their future endeavours.

He added that when St Andrews approached the bank for help, considerable internal debate ensued on account of the fact that it is considered a school for the privileged and not an obvious cause to support.

"Factors such as the children of many of the bank's clients and staff attending the school, the school itself being a big and loyal client and the bank's recruitment of St Andrews alumni were considered, but what finally swayed their decision was the school's commitment to make the centre accessible to students and teachers from less privileged schools in the community."

"If managed right, the IT centre should have a meaningful impact in the community. FMB is counting on the school to deliver a high quality product, both in terms of the physical structure and the quality of teaching," said Anadkat.

Head teacher Gordon Benbow, who said new technology is the future, added that the school wants its students to be confident in IT and to help thern learn in their own style at their own pace.

"We want the whole school to be e-confident and to embed IT throughout: to introduce electronic processes to more of our administration and management and allow our teachers to effectively integrate IT in their teaching,"

"We also plan to set up a Blantyre learning community for secondary schools, linking with eight local schools. We will have a programme that will enable the brightest students from schools around the country to come in and use our boarding facilities while getting intensive IT training," Benbow explained.

The centre is expected to be ready by the end of the year.

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