Gov’t Officers Encouraged to Apply for Public Sector Education Grants

Government employees pursuing further studies are being encouraged to apply for Public Sector Education Grants.

Applications for the 2023/24 academic year opened on July 10 and will close on August 31.

The grants, which are valued up to $150,000, are also available for the children of public-sector workers.

Director of Strategic Workforce Planning at the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, Donovan Leon, told JIS News that the grants are being facilitated through a Heads of Agreement arrangement between the Government and the Jamaica Confederation of Trade Unions (JCTU).

“The aim is to provide educational assistance to public-sector workers and their children pursuing further studies, be it an associate, undergraduate [or] postgraduate [degree]… even skills training can be accommodated under the programme,” he informed.

The Ministry has advised, however, that individuals pursuing studies at a level of education already obtained will not be supported or eligible for the grant.

Persons applying must fill out an application form and submit the requisite documents, inclusive of a taxpayer registration number (TRN), job letter, an acceptance letter from the educational institution, or transcripts in the case of returning students.

“You’ll also need your tuition letter outlining your school fee and the verification form, which must be completed by your respective human resource department,” Mr. Leon further informed.

He said approximately 4,000 persons have benefited from grants since the provision’s inception in 2017.

For the children of government workers, any parent not having a benefit similar to the one provided through the Ministry of Finance can apply for their child.

Children will benefit from the grant once every three years, which will see them gaining assistance in their first and final years of study.

“The child must be between the ages of 18 and 25 and enrolled in a tertiary level, polytechnic, technical or vocational institution. When applying, the parent must have their child’s birth certificate to indicate that it is indeed their child, along with the TRN of both parent and child,” Mr. Leon added.

To apply for the grants, visit https://www.mof.gov.jm/scholarships/