Education Ministry Receives $365 Million For Scholarship Programme

The Ministry of Education and Youth has received approximately $365 million this fiscal year as budgetary support for its scholarship programme.

The programme provides a wide range of scholarship opportunities to students who are desirous of pursuing tertiary studies.

While delivering her sectoral presentation in the House of Representatives recently, Minister of Education and Youth, Hon, Fayval Williams, said that the Jamaica Tertiary Education Commission (J-TEC) maintains two databases, which provide timely information, especially to students preparing for entry to tertiary education.

The Programme Tuition Fee (PTF) database has information on programmes of study, including costs, length/duration, modality and the qualifications awarded.

The PTF database allows users to have a simultaneous glance of programmes of study offered across a variety of institutions. The objective of the PTF is to increase access to information on tuition fees at the tertiary-education level.

Meanwhile, the Scholarship database provides details on scholarships as well as other financing options available to Jamaican students to study in Jamaica.

According to Minister Williams, there are also initiatives to develop teacher competencies and retain them in the system, which is important.

“The Ministry afforded scholarships in a number of subject areas to persons who have an interest in teaching,” she said.

Tuition funding is also available for tertiary students pursuing courses of study in education (STEM-related fields) under the Tertiary Students’ Assistance Programme, through scholarships.

Applications for the 2022/2023 Financial Year opened on April 1, 2022 and close in June 2022. Students may apply via the portal now hosted on the Ministry’s website.

In addition to scholarships, $180 million in funding is also available through grants and the Jamaica Values and Attitudes (JAMVAT) programme.

The JAMVAT programme is ‘voluntary/supported’ where, as part of contributing 200 hours of voluntary service, the Government will commit to fund up to $350,000 in tuition fees.

The Programme provides assistance to tertiary students who qualify for admission but are financially challenged to cover their tuition cost.