Page 147 - JSIF Magazine Approved-v2-web4

Perspectives

CDB & JSIF partnering to transform
Jamaica’s education sector

By George L. W. Yearwood Jnr., Portfolio Manager (Ag.) BNTF, SSD, Project

By providing children with access to
quality education, many Caribbean
nations can end the cycle of
poverty. In Jamaica, the Caribbean
Development Bank (CDB) has been
making investments to deliver
better and more inclusive education
to our children. This funding has
been targetted particularly to boost
early childhood development and
to end the shift system in schools.
With these two areas of focus,
in partnership with the Jamaica
Social Investment Fund (JSIF), the
Bank has been helping to transform
Jamaica’s education sector.

Children at the Sydenham Basic School in St. Catherine, which was constructed and Making early investments in the
equipped through CDB funding. future of Jamaica
CDB has been supporting early
childhood development through
projects financed by loans and
grants.

Class in session at Ulster Spring Basic School, Trelawny, which was built and equipped Since 2000, the Bank has provided
through CDB funding. loans totalling US$ 6.6 million to
give Jamaica’s young children a
better headstart. The first loan to
JSIF allocated US$4.9 million for
the construction and rehabilitation
of facilities, equipment for the
newly-built locations and provision
of sanitation infrastructure.
Additionally, through the loan,
repairs were carried out on 26
early childhood development
facilities damaged by Hurricane
Ivan. A second loan, which was

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