Powering more than homes
JPS provides $22 million back-to-school support for new school year
As families across Jamaica prepare their children for a new school year, the Jamaica Public Service Company (JPS) is once again reaffirming its commitment to education with a J$22 million back-to-school investment benefitting students across the island, including areas like St Elizabeth and Westmoreland still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Melissa.
Through scholarships and grants from the JPS Foundation, school rebuilding efforts, book vouchers, school supplies and support for community-based back-to-school fairs, JPS continues to show that its role in Jamaica’s development extends far beyond the grid, it’s about energising the ambitions of the students who will shape the nation’s future.
Marilyn McDonald-Watson, Manager for Community Renewal (2nd left), presents uniform material to Lesolin Sergeant-Barrett, Administrative Assistant at the Strathmore Gardens Children’s Home, during a recent back-to-school treat for the children. Led by JPS team members Jodie Bowes-Morrison, Distribution Management System Engineer (1st left), and Suzanne Brown, Administrative Assistant, the initiative included a day at the zoo and the distribution of school supplies, with support from several sponsors, including the JPS Foundation and Fontana.
Rashema Stanford , Administrative Assistant – JPS, shares a sweet moment with a family at the recently held St. Catherine South East Back-To-School Health Fair, held on the grounds of Portmore HEART/NSTA Trust. This is one of the many community-based back-to-school treats that JPS has supported with the provision of book vouchers and school supplies across the island.
Phillip Whittingham, JPS Director of Generation Asset Management; Vernon Lawrence, Project Lead, Hermit Foundation; Sameer Simms, JPS Vice President of Generation; Jerome Bacchas, Councillor for the Darliston Division in Eastern Westmoreland; Mitzie Marshall-Moodie, Principal of Darliston Primary School; Pete Manbode, Chairman of Darliston Primary School; and Pia Baker, JPS Senior Vice President for Customer Experience and Commercial, participate in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the handover of a temporary office for the principal of Darliston Primary School. As repairs continue following damage caused by Hurricane Melissa, the temporary office – previously a container which formed part of the JPS Emergency Mobile Power Generation Unit, was converted to an office space and an air-conditioning unit installed in collaboration with the Hermit Foundation.
Students and teachers of New Works Primary School in Westmoreland join representatives from the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information and JPS for a group photo following a back-to-school pep talk and the presentation of school supplies, including book vouchers, on August 19.
Newly minted awardees and representatives from JPS share a photo moment at the JPS Foundation Power Up Scholarship Awards, held in July 2026. A total of 42 students, including returning scholars whose awards were renewed, benefitted from more than $11 million in grants and scholarships for the 2026–2027 academic year. Among the awards presented were the Power Up STEM Tertiary Scholarship, Power Up STEM Scholarship for Teachers’ College Students, JPS VOLTS PEP Scholarship and EWP STEM Tertiary Grant.
