KINGSTON, Jamaica — Applications are now open for the Public Sector Education Grants.

The grants, which are being offered through the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service, were open to qualified public sector officers and their children on July 11. The closing date to apply is August 19.

In a release, Director of Strategic Workforce Planning, Donovan Leon, noted that since the introduction of the grants in 2017, many persons have applied for their CSEC exams, masters and doctoral studies. “I have seen a lot of persons use the grants to complete professional certifications. The maximum of the grant is…$150,000.00 per person, subject to the availability of funds,” Leon said.

“Naturally, you can always have unlimited demands but the supply side can somewhat be a challenge. We accommodate as much as possible and ensure that…we are in the best position to satisfy that demand,” Leon noted, explaining the types of documents needed to apply for the grants.

“You need a job letter, an acceptance letter or a transcript. If you’re a returning student, you’ll need your tuition letter outlining your school fee. You’ll also need a copy of your TRN, the completed application form and the verification form which must be completed by your respective HRD [human resource department],” he said.

Leon also added that children of public sector workers are eligible for the grants, but the application must be done by the parent.

“For the children of public sector workers, it’s just an additional birth certificate for the child as well as the acceptance letter or transcript that is needed to apply. It’s straightforward in terms of the documents needed. All submissions are done electronically, so once you have the relevant document, you can upload it to the designated email, which is mou.grants@gmail.com,” said Leon.

Individuals can only apply once for a grant.

Leon said the grants are meant to provide a one-time assistance.

“In recent times, there was some flexibility that was applied in light of the CoVID-19 period but that is not the norm. It’s really intended to be a one-time benefit but where possible, what I can say is that we try to assist,” he said. “Typically, what happens is that once we have received the documents and everything is in order, what we normally do is issue a commitment letter to the school, which allows students to register and access any sort of documentation that they need prior to the funds reaching their accounts.”

Leon added that this process may be delayed or fast-tracked based on the number of applications received.

Persons can get more information on applying for the grants by visiting the ministry’s website, mof.gov.jm, and navigating to the scholarships page.