Bursaries for 1,000 Tertiary Students in PATH Households

A total of $100 million will be disbursed to some 1,000 students in households classified in the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), this year, under the Government’s tertiary bursary initiative.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Derrick Kellier, who made the announcement during a special Back-to-School press briefing on August 28, at the Office of the Prime Minister, said each bursary will be valued at $100,000.

The bursaries will be disbursed to students in PATH households, who are attending any tertiary level institution accredited by the University Council of Jamaica during fiscal year 2013/14.

For a student to be eligible for the bursary, he or she must have received a benefit while in secondary school and have attained a grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 or above in their first year at university or college.

Qualified students will be required to apply through the existing arrangements at their respective institutions.

Payments for the bursaries will only be made to the institutions after a submission is made to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

Meanwhile, Minister Kellier reminded PATH families that applications for transitional grants will be open on September 2.

‘One off’ transitional grant payments are made to students in PATH households who are continuing their education after completing secondary school.

Payments under the initiative are: CXC/CSEC re-sits, $15,000; Certificate course, $20,000; Skills Training, $20,000; CAPE/A’ Levels, $25,000; Diploma course, $30,000; Associate Degree, $30,000; and Degree programmes, $50,000.