$535m in back-to-school grant support for PATH beneficiaries
KINGSTON, Jamaica – Approximately $535 million will be disbursed to Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) beneficiaries ahead of the 2025/26 academic year.
A total of 106,590 students enrolled under PATH will receive the back-to-school grant, which will be added to their regular payments.
Payouts were scheduled to begin on August 19 and continue through September 2. Additional collection days are scheduled for September 4 and 5 to accommodate beneficiaries unable to collect on their assigned dates.
Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with responsibility for the Social Security Division, Audrey Deer-Williams, told JIS News that this year’s allocation represents an increase over the previous year, when each student received $3,500. She further informed that all grants have been increased by $5,000 or $10,000.
Notably, the tertiary bursar – available to students pursuing bachelor’s degrees at accredited institutions – has been increased by 50 per cent, from $100,000 to $150,000.
Deer-Williams explained that the bursary is renewable, provided recipients maintain a minimum Grade Point Average (GPA) of 2.5.
Students wishing to pursue Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) subjects or certificate/skills training can apply for a one-time grant of $20,000 and $25,000, respectively.
Grants valued $35,000 are available to students registered to sit Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) units, while those pursuing diplomas or associate degree programmes may apply for grants valued $40,000.
Deer-Williams told JIS News that the application period for PATH education bursaries and grants is currently open.
She said the application period for the tertiary bursary runs from August to October, while post-secondary grants have two application windows: August to October and January to March.
“Preparing for back to school can be challenging for parents. So this is additional support to the parents who are amongst the poorest in the country, as we work to help to ease the burden,” Deer-Williams stated.
– JIS
