KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Culture, Health, Arts, Sports and Education (CHASE) Fund is encouraging early-childhood institutions across the island to take advantage of the funding opportunities available through the agency.

Project Manager, Latoya Aquart-Foster, told JIS News that the organisation is concerned that not all institutions in need have contacted the fund.

“In the absence of perfect knowledge as to the state of every single institution, you cannot be assured that the ones that are in the greatest need are actually getting the support,” she informed.

Aquart-Foster said while the fund actively conducts site assessments and collaborates with partners such as the Early Childhood Commission, there are schools that remain unaware of the assistance available.

She emphasised that schools are not required to wait for identification during field visits. Instead, administrators, principals, and other stakeholders are encouraged to initiate contact with the CHASE Fund to explore available support for their developmental needs.

Since January, the entity has approved more than $133 million in funding support for early-childhood institutions across Jamaica.

Commissioned in 2002, the CHASE Fund has constructed more than 80 early-childhood institutions at a cost of $2.3 billion and upgraded approximately 900 facilities at a cost of $2.6 billion.

Additionally, over the past 22 years, more than 200 early-childhood institutions damaged by adverse weather conditions have been repaired through funding totalling $150 million.

—JIS