By Marvin Cato | HGP Nightly News |
BUXTON, EAST COAST DEMERARA — Forty-eight outstanding students who sat the 2024, 2025, and 2026 National Grade Six Assessment (NGSA) were formally honored on Sunday, September 6, 2026, as Benjamin’s Homemade Bakery celebrated the latest chapter of its long-standing corporate social responsibility initiative.
Established in 2007, the annual bursary program recognized primary school achievers spanning communities across the East Coast of Demerara corridor—from Graham’s Hall in the west to Paradise in the east.
Expanding Educational Philanthropy Along the East Coast Corridor
The awards ceremony celebrated academic merit, parental commitment, and institutional community support:
- Corridor-Wide Reach: Originally established in 2007 to support students attending three primary schools within the Buxton catchment area, the program expanded to cover multiple coastal primary schools, including Graham’s Hall, Montrose, Beterverwagting, Mon Repos, Lusignan, Annandale, Company Road, Friendship, Strathspey, Enterprise, and Paradise Primary.
- Triennial Cohort Recognition: Sunday’s presentation honored a combined total of 48 students who excelled across the 2024, 2025, and 2026 examination sittings.
- Core Philosophy: Speaking on behalf of proprietor Wesley Adrian Benjamin, his son, Kevon Benjamin, outlined the guiding principle of the family enterprise: “When you are blessed, you must also find ways to bless others.”
“The bursary awards are about recognizing hard work, celebrating determination, acknowledging the sacrifices of parents and guardians, appreciating the dedication of teachers, and continuing a tradition of giving back to the communities that have supported the Benjamin family and Benjamin’s Homemade Bakery over the years,” Kevon Benjamin noted.
Dignitaries Commend Private Sector Investment in Education
The ceremony was attended by Senior Minister in the Office of the President with Responsibility for Finance and the Public Service Dr. Ashni Singh, alongside Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Sharon Roopchand:
- Ministerial Commendation: Dr. Singh commended the Benjamin family for their unbroken private sector investment in the human capital of East Coast communities, praising their sustained dedication to recognizing academic excellence across changing economic landscapes.
- Sustaining Philanthropy: Dr. Singh urged the enterprise to continue expanding the initiative, emphasizing that community-driven bursaries complement broader national investments in public education.
