Scholarships for early childhood teachers

Food for the Poor Jamaica, the Early Childhood Commission and the HEART Trust/NTA have signed a partnership agreement that will allow for the training of 500 early childhood education teachers over the next five years.

The agreement becomes effective this academic year and will see scholarships being awarded to persons in the early childhood sector who do not have the required qualifications because of financial constraints.

Food for the Poor, which is the financier of the project, will disburse 50 scholarships every September and January for the next five years.

Each scholarship will have a value of $65,000 and will enable recipients to pursue a level two National Vocational Qualification of Jamaica certification for early childhood development.

The scholarship will cover the cost of tuition, travelling and meal allowances for each recipient.

Chairman of Food for the Poor, Andrew Mahfood says the initiative forms part of its celebration of Jamaica’s 50th anniversary of Independence.