HSBC Cares For Children Fund has supported the distribution of books by the Royal British Legion to every primary and secondary level student participating in the Legion’s English language summer courses. The books were given out to students during a presentation ceremony at the Ministry for Gozo, by HSBC’s area director for Gozo, Stephen Pandolfino.

“Education has always been a central theme in HSBC’s commitment to the Maltese community. Over the past year, HSBC Cares For Children Fund has been distributing books to primary and secondary schools on a regular basis. This specific initiative reinforces HSBC’s support for the fight against illiteracy and the determination to help provide all children in Malta with the opportunity for education, something which will inevitably also benefit the Maltese economy,” said Mr Pandolfino.

Gozo Minister Giovanna Debono, who presided over the prize-giving ceremony, remarked that the level of English among Gozitan students had improved and that the Royal British Legion’s effort must have influenced this satisfactory result.

Minister Debono emphasised the need to read good quality literature in English as the language remains one’s principal passport to most of the main economic activities that students will be pursuing later on in life.

She presented the top prizes to students from Years four to six and Forms one to four, including the special prizes that went to Francesco Caruana (primary) and to Massimo Grech (secondary).