THE education ministry has secured a $31-million scholarship donation to enrol 200 teachers in a personal finance education programme through the Profit Jumpstarter Academy.

This initiative aims to enhance teachers’ ability to effectively teach financial literacy and proper money management.

“This initiative will further enhance their ability to teach financial literacy and proper money management effectively,” announced Education Minister Fayval Williams at the recent Build Wealth Conference held at the AC Hotel in Kingston.

The training programme is set to begin on September 4, aligning with the start of the new academic year. The scholarships aim to enhance financial literacy among teachers, who will then share their knowledge with students and the wider community.

According to Minister Williams, “Financial literacy is the key to unlocking opportunities for financial security.” She emphasised the crucial role educators play in shaping future generations, stressing that they must be equipped with the knowledge and resources to manage their finances effectively.

“By investing in financial education for teachers, we are investing in the sustainability and advancement of our education system,” Minister Williams added.

The education ministry and Profit Jumpstarter have previously collaborated on webinars promoting financial literacy among educators. Building on this partnership, Profit Jumpstarter sought a more comprehensive approach to drive lasting change. The ultimate goal is to create a ripple effect, fostering a stronger, more financially literate Jamaica.

“So education is our passion. Financial literacy is our passion. What I realised is that for our nation to be better, Jamaica must be better. It’s not just a one-man effort. It’s a Jamaican-wide effort, said CEO of Profit Jumpstarter Keisha Bailey in an interview with the Jamaica Observer.

The training programme concentrates on enhancing teachers’ practical personal finance skills, enabling them to improve their own financial situations, and equipping them to teach others. According to Bailey, this initiative has the potential to pave the way for the education ministry to develop a financial literacy curriculum for students in schools, marking the beginning of a promising collaboration.

“I could work with them on a curriculum to bring it into school; that probably is a nice thing. I see it as the start of a collaboration, where ultimately we could build a course for them to be taught in schools,” said Bailey.