JSE Expands Educational Initiatives to Empower Persons with Investment Knowledge

In an ambitious move to deepen financial literacy and empower Jamaicans with investment knowledge, the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) has been expanding its educational initiatives, reaching audiences from primary-school students to seasoned investors.

Since launching its Caribbean Business Exchange (CBX) cable television channel in 2022 as part of its educational programmes, the JSE has seen tremendous feedback, with increasing participation and engagement from various segments of the population.

Managing Director of the JSE, Dr. Marlene Street Forrest, recently joined the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service ‘Finance Matters’ programme to discuss the various educational initiatives designed to create a culture of financial awareness and demystify the concept of investments in Jamaica.

“The feedback has been tremendous, and it is because we have added several programmes. The news speaks to how companies and investors are participating in the market, then the business of sports and also the business of entertainment, coupled with other programmes geared towards ensuring that persons understand about literacy and financial matters,” Dr. Street Forrest said.

The CBX is a division of the JSE that provides 24 hours of comprehensive news and information on local, regional, and global business, financial and capital market developments to more than 30 countries across the Caribbean.

The channel, which was formally launched two years ago, broadcasts on channel 143 on the Flow Network and 28 on Digicel.

Dr. Street Forrest noted that the JSE has gone further, with plans to take the message of financial literacy to the young population. She added that outside of CBX, the JSE is in the process of developing more educational material for all ages of the society.

Recognising the importance of financial literacy at an early stage, the JSE has developed a groundbreaking programme tailored for primary-school students.

Though yet to be launched, ‘The Stock Market Game for Primary Schools’ is an initiative that seeks to introduce young learners to basic investment principles, ensuring they develop an aptitude and attitude for indulging in the stock market.

“We are in the process of ensuring that it is launched, and it’s geared towards primary schools because we want to catch them early, so that the emphasis that we have now to ensure that mature people understand the market, we will not have that a couple of years down the road,” Dr. Street Forrest said.

Acknowledging that the younger generations are extremely technologically savvy, Dr. Street Forrest said the JSE will be using their knowledge to its advantage.

“How do you treat with devices? The phones and the tablets. We want to ensure that the students understand that there is a way in which they can benefit intellectually and have fun, so that game is to be launched,” the Managing Director said.

Commenting on the success the JSE has had with the implementation of the Stock Market Game at the secondary and tertiary level, Dr. Street Forrest said they are pleased that they now have 48 schools participating in the initiative.

“We have the Stock Market Game for students, fifth-formers right through to sixth, and we are in 48 schools right across the island. The Stock Market Game is also for university students, and obviously we are in the universities,” she noted.

Explaining how the game works, Dr. Street Forrest said it is true to form and mirrors how the JSE actually functions.

“It is an assimilated game that mirrors Jamaica Stock Exchange trading on the stock exchange, so the students are given a portfolio, let us say $100,000, but before that they are trained on how to pick stocks, how to determine whether to come in or out of a stock, and whether you are going to put some in a fixed income or otherwise,” Dr. Street Forrest said.

The game is structured in such a way that individual students and teams or schools are tracked to see how they are performing with the simulated funds they receive, whether there is growth or decline, and use the performance of the market on a daily basis.

With guidance from their teachers, who receive training from the JSE and industry professionals, students develop essential analytical and critical-thinking skills to navigate the stock market space.

“It’s amazing to see how engaged the students become. They start off with little to no knowledge of investing, and by the end of the programme, they are making strategic decisions and tracking their portfolios just like real investors,” Dr. Street Forrest explained.

To further incentivise participation, top-performing students receive prizes and are encouraged to open brokerage accounts to continue their investment journeys beyond the classroom.

This initiative has sparked an interest in financial markets among the participants, with some students even receiving calls for investment advice based on their simulated performances.

While 48 high schools are currently participating, the JSE is actively working to expand the programme to more institutions across the island.

Schools interested in joining the initiative can directly contact the JSE at (876) 967-3271.

JSE representatives also proactively reach out to schools, targeting business teachers and principals to encourage enrolment.

The JSE is also excited about the plans they are putting in place to have students at the university level participate in an investment competition, adding an extra level of excitement and motivation for students to grasp the workings of the stock market.

“What we plan to do shortly is to have the inter-university competition, so you notice what we are doing and we are planning, because financial education is very important for us,” Dr. Street Forrest said.

With financial literacy becoming increasingly vital, the JSE remains committed to equipping individuals with the knowledge and skills to make informed financial decisions.

Beyond the Stock Market Games, the JSE offers a range of educational programmes, including market research competitions, ‘ABCs of Understanding the Stock Market’ workshops, and tailored investment seminars.

“Education is key. We cater to everyone, from students to mature investors. We meet people where they are and provide them with the necessary tools to understand and navigate the stock market effectively,” Dr. Street Forrest said.