CMI Students to Receive $5 Million in Tuition Support Under AHEP

Fifty students pursuing undergraduate studies at the Caribbean Maritime Institute (CMI) will benefit from a total of $5 million in tuition grants from the National Youth Service (NYS), under its Access to Higher Education Partnership Programme (AHEP).

The programme, which is open to students between the ages of 17 and 24 years, seeks to enhance the personal and professional development of participants. Each student will receive $100,000.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the CMI and the NYS to formalise this arrangement during a ceremony held on October 10, at the institution’s Palisadoes Park location in Kingston.

Minister of Youth and Culture, Hon. Lisa Hanna, said the programme will give bright but financially challenged students the opportunity to enhance their employability prospects and empower them to become productive citizens.

“We want you to become global producers taking a seat at the table, rather than being marginalised consumers in a world without boundaries,” the Minister said.

She noted that this NYS strategy will ensure more young persons are able to get access to jobs, pointing out that the intervention will add to the close to 40,000 young people the Ministry has trained, and the approximately 16,000 youth placed in seasonal jobs since 2012.

Ms. Hanna said the partnership with the CMI is a “no brainer” given that the institution has an uptake of nine out of 10 for job placements.

Executive Director of the CMI, Dr. Fritz Pinnock, welcomed the investment in the education of deserving students, while praising the NYS for its vision.

Executive Director of the NYS, Melvin Smith, said the MoU symbolised a partnership with CMI for the future development of Jamaica as well as a demonstration of “what good joined-up government can do and can accomplish”.

Under the programme, participants will receive tuition assistance geared towards providing financial support, educational advancement and promoting academic excellence. They will also benefit from personal and professional development workshops, which are aimed at overall character building as well as university readiness.

Participants will improve their employability skills and increase employability prospects through work experience opportunities, while volunteerism is encouraged under the programme.

AHEP was piloted at the Northern Caribbean University (NCU) in 2013/14, benefiting 56 students. The programme was extended this year to include the CMI, College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), and Brown’s Town Community College, to reach 150 students.

Tuition assistance is given to participants of partnering institution for one year in the first instance. It is renewable up to a maximum of three years pending satisfactory performance.

To be eligible, applicants must be pursuing studies in the areas of agriculture; tourism; logistics; engineering; and information Technology

For further information, visit the NYS website at: www.nysjamaica.org.