Government Offers Incentive to PATH Students Seeking Higher Education

Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Andrew Gallimore, says the Government is adding another incentive to the
Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), to keep beneficiaries on the right track.
“Starting this October, every single child who has graduated from high school, who lives in a PATH household, who apply and is accepted to an institution of higher learning, will receive a grant from the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, from the PATH programme, for $15,000,” Mr. Gallimore announced.
He says that the Government is hoping that the incentive will encourage more young people to make that next step in their educational development.
Mr. Gallimore was giving the keynote address at the official opening of the Steps to Work Summer Camp, being held at the Albert Town High School, Trelawny, Monday (August 17). The Camp, a component of PATH’s Steps to Work Programme is funded by the World Bank and ends August 28.
More than 100 students who have just left Grades Nine and Eleven in high, All Age and Junior High schools in Southern Trelawny, and are from PATH participating households, are in the Summer Camp. It is aimed at providing productive options for students during the summer holidays, and also to assist in character building and the development of social, community and life skills.
Mr. Gallimore encouraged the participants to set clear goals for themselves, and make use of the opportunities that come their way. He stated that the Government is fully committed to assisting children in PATH participating households, adding that there are over 350,0000 PATH beneficiaries.
“We have seen a significant increase in mothers taking their babies to the health centres. We have seen a 38% increase, as a result of the conditional cash transfer system through the PATH programme,” he said.
“We have seen a three percent differential between children who are on the PATH programme, and children who are not; meaning that children who are on the PATH programme are outperforming children who are not, where school attendance is concerned”, he noted.
He said that a differential payment plan being implemented, will encourage young people to stay in the school system, with an additional incentive for boys who decide to continue on to grades ten and eleven.