As he enters his second year of law school at The University of the West Indies, Mona, 20-year-old Jaleel Smith is feeling more at ease after being awarded a scholarship that covers more than 50 per cent of his tuition fees.

“It will allow me to go about the university life without being as anxious as first year was; dealing with student loans, dealing with the fact that my parents would have to go in further short-term death to deal with things, so (I now have) that peace of mind to be able focus more intently on my academics,” he told The Gleaner.

Smith was among 44 students from across Jamaica who were awarded scholarships, grants and special awards valued at $7.5 million by the Sagicor Foundation Jamaica.