Hatton National Bank (HNB) will continue its longstanding support of national education and student development by offering 500 scholarships to the top performers of the Year-5 scholarship examination under the ‘HNB Diri Daru’ scheme.

For the first time, HNB has extended these annual scholarships to Ordinary Level (O/L) and Advanced Level (A/L) students, in both local GCE and London, making it the first bank to offer scholarships for London O/L and A/Ls. 

Furthermore, students who record special achievements at national level in extracurricular activities such as sports, arts and inventions will also be eligible for scholarships.

With the inclusion of O/L, A/L and special achievements in the scholarship scheme, HNB Diri Daru supports the education of the national student population at every pivotal stage of their academic and personal development. This fulfills the ultimate educational vision of the bank which is to provide a pathway for students, particularly from outstation areas, to gain quality education and realize their true potential. In total, 750 HNB Diri Daru scholarships worth Rs. 7 million await students islandwide this year.  

Supun Dias, Senior Manager – Business Development, HNB spoke about the importance of providing students the necessary financial assistance to pursue their educational ambitions. 

“HNB is a pioneering bank in terms of investment in education. We were the first bank to introduce a branded minor savings account back in 1991 and over the years we have taken several initiatives to inculcate the habit of saving and banking in the student population. HNB  has offered scholarships worth Rs. 15 million to outstanding Year 5 Scholarship students over the past 3 years.”

Parents can open a Singithi Lama/ HNB Teen Account on behalf of their child with a minimum deposit of Rs. 500 in order to be eligible for HNB Diri Daru scholarships.  They will be required to maintain a minimum balance prior to the Year 5 Scholarship, O/L and A/L examination, or relevant event or competition in their child’s HNB Singithi Lama or HNB Teen minor savings account. The minimum balance for the Year 5 Scholarship is of Rs. 10,000 while for O/L, A/L, event or competition this amount is Rs. 25,000. 

There are 500 scholarships on offer for the Year 5 Scholarship, 100 scholarships for GCE or London O/Ls, 100 scholarships for GCE or London A/Ls and 50 scholarships for special achievements at national level. 

In the Year-5 Scholarship scheme, the all-island 1st, 2nd and 3rd placed students will receive scholarships worth Rs. 300,000, Rs. 200,000 and Rs. 100,000 respectively, while every student who ranks amongst the Top 20 in their respective districts will be entitled to scholarships worth Rs. 20,000 each. The top 100 performers of the GCE or London O/L will receive 100 scholarships of Rs. 10,000 each and the top 100 performers of the GCE or London A/L will receive 100 scholarships of Rs. 10,000 each. 

In the special achievements category, students who qualify to represent the country or establish national records in sports events which are recognized as Olympic sports, students who gain recognition at international or national level for new inventions or creativity, art, drama and cultural activities will be awarded 50 Diri Daru scholarships worth Rs. 10,000 each.