MONTEGO BAY, St James — Noting that there is no other sector that offers a higher return on investment more than early childhood education, chief executive officer of the Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund Wilford “Billy” Heaven revealed that since its inception in late 2002, the fund has invested $7.1 billion in the sector.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Early Childhood Commission’s annual Professional Development Institute (PDI) at the Montego Bay Convention Centre on Monday, Heaven revealed that the CHASE Fund has pumped $40 million into the staging of the event.

“CHASE Fund is proud to be a part of the sector. Since inception, we have invested $7.1 billion in the early childhood sector in Jamaica,“ Heaven said. ”We have constructed over 80 institutions, and I mean new institutions, and that’s at the cost of $2.3 billion. We have spent another $2.6 billion in upgrading some 900 institutions dealing with renovations, expansion of structures, equipping, providing furniture, appliances, play equipment, and teaching aids.“

He said on the books, what is spent on early childhood education is not an expense, but an investment.

“It is an investment because — and given my background in other areas of finance and so on — we know that there’s no other sector with a higher rate of return on any dollar that you can put out there than what we get from investing in the early childhood sector. We know that,” he said.

He added that a key component of the CHASE Fund’s support for early childhood education is its Technology Enhancement Programme, which, though not initiated by the COVID-19 pandemic, was significantly expanded in response to it. Since then, the programme has impacted 200 infant schools at a cost of $240 million, equipping them with interactive boards, computers, laptops, tablets, printers, and other tools to enrich the learning environment for young children.

He also highlighted that while the fund builds state-of-the-art facilities, equal focus is placed on human resource development.

Recognising the importance of skilled educators, Heaven noted that the CHASE Fund has provided over 2,000 scholarships to early childhood teachers at the diploma, and more recently, degree levels.

This is in addition to the more than 6,000 teachers previously trained up to level two through an initial programme with the HEART/NSTA Trust. Altogether, CHASE has invested $830 million in teacher training and development, underscoring its commitment to treating the sector as a critical national investment, Heaven disclosed.

He said the CHASE Fund has consistently supported the professional development of early childhood educators, helping to elevate the sector through capacity-building and empowerment.

CHASE Fund’s involvement in conferences and other knowledge-sharing initiatives reinforces the importance of continuous training, innovation, and the exchange of best practices to enhance the quality of early childhood education, he said, adding that the fund views such initiatives as essential to improving the learning experience for thousands of children across the country.

In his address to early childhood professionals, Heaven underscored their critical role as foundational nation-builders. He acknowledged that while their contributions may often go unrecognised, their impact is both profound and generational. The CHASE Fund, he affirmed, remains committed to working closely with stakeholders to strengthen the sector and ensure that every child receives a strong and equitable start in life.

“Your role is foundational. So sometimes you know you believe that you don’t get the recognition, but just think of it this way, as a nice, pretty house that you will see up on a hilltop. You’re at the foundation. You’re not going to get a lot of notice, but when you blossom and become a house that is well painted, then you will get the recognition,” he said.

The conference, which runs from May 19 to 23, is being held under the theme ‘High Quality Early Childhood Care and Education: A Child’s Right not a Service’.