HNB launches revamped Student Savings Unit at St. Benedict’s College Kotahena

St. Benedict’s College Kotahena Principal Rev. Bro. Director Ernest Thasisius and HNB Chief Strategy Officer Rajive Dissanayake opening the new Student Savings Unit, while HNB Colombo Region – Regional Business Head Saumya Aryasinha and HNB Colombo Region – Regional Credit Head Neil Rasiah look on

Driving forward its agenda to assist young Sri Lankans build up a resilient savings habit, the country’s premier retail bank, HNB PLC, announced the launch of an all-new, revamped Student Savings Unit at one of Colombo’s most hallowed educational institutes, St. Benedict’s College Kotahena.

The newly revamped unit was declared open during a special ceremony at the school which featured the participation of St. Benedict’s College Kotahena Principal Rev. Bro. Director Ernest Thasisius, HNB Chief Strategy Officer Rajive Dissanayake, HNB Colombo Region – Regional Business Head Saumya Aryasinha, HNB Colombo Region – Regional Credit Head Neil Rasiah, HNB Kotahena Branch Manager Thambiayah Shakthevell and a group of fellow St. Benedict’s College old boys from HNB’s management team, together with St. Benedict’s College current students, staff and teachers.

“On behalf of St. Benedict’s College, we express our sincere gratitude to HNB for partnering with our school for the launch of revamped Student Savings Unit. Ours is an institution with a remarkable history of producing well-rounded individuals who have contributed immensely to the development of Sri Lanka as a nation, and even to the remarkable success of institutions like HNB.

“With the opening of this new unit, our students will now gain invaluable hands-on experience in banking and the management of finances. Whichever career they choose to pursue thereafter, we are confident that this learning and expertise will be vital in their future lives,” Rev. Bro. Director Ernest Thasisius stated.

Student savings units were introduced to the Sri Lankan banking landscape by HNB in 1993. Since then, the Bank has expanded its service to cover 158 Students Savings Units across Sri Lanka. Through the units, student managers are groomed to take leadership in running a mini bank in school and get actively involved in promoting the savings habit among fellow students. The bank trains over 1,000 students annually in this capacity.

“As an institution that has pioneered many initiatives in banking over the last 130 years, HNB was instrumental in promoting the student savings unit concept in Sri Lanka to promote savings habit among the younger generation. Today the Bank is looking at avenues of bringing digitalisation to add further value to the 158 schools and to their students whom we have partnered over the last three decades.”

“The launch of our revamped Student Savings Unit at St. Benedict’s College will provide students with a head start on essential skills like being financially responsible and developing a savings habit to lay the foundation for greater success in future,” Dissanayake stated.

Founded in 1868, St. Benedict’s College Kotahena is considered among the most prominent leading schools in Sri Lanka and among the oldest Catholic schools in the island, with a history of over 180 years. The College provides education to around 2,600 students with a teaching staff of over 200. Students are enrolled from Grade 1 to Grade 13 in the local syllabus in English, Sinhala and Tamil mediums. London A/L syllabus is also available for the Advanced Level students in various streams.

HNB Chief Strategy Officer Rajive Dissanayake with St. Benedict’s College Kotahena Principal Rev. Bro. Director Ernest Thasisius, HNB Colombo Region – Regional Business Head Saumya Aryasinha, HNB Colombo Region – Regional Credit Head Neil Rasiah, HNB Kotahena Branch Manager Thambiayah Shakthevell, together with St. Benedict’s College Old Boys from HNB and student managers of the College HNB Students Savings Unit