Petrina Francis, Education Reporter
CHECKS AT the Jamaica Values and Attitude Project for Tertiary Institutions (JAMVAT) revealed that few University of the West Indies (UWI) students are accessing the available financial help from the organisation.
Of the 1,000 applicants who were approved for Government financial assistance this academic year, only 95 students came from the UWI.
JAMVAT is a work-study programme that was introduced in 2001 by Prime Minister P.J. Patterson to assist needy students at the tertiary level with 30 per cent of their tuition fees. To date, the programme has engaged close to 3,000 students. In addition to the school fees, the participants are given a $10,000 stipend to assist with meals and transportation during the programme.
Reverend Adinhair Jones, executive director of the National Youth Service, under which JAMVAT falls, told The Sunday Gleaner "We are surprised at some stage that a lot of students do not know about it (JAMVAT) especially at the UWI." He added that the community colleges and teachers colleges appear to have a wider knowledge of the programme.
NOT UNAWARE
He noted that over the three years since the beginning of JAMVAT, this year saw the largest group of applicants. Rev. Jones said that some students usually enquire about the programme after the deadline has passed and after they have exhausted all other options.
However, Donnette Dwyer, secretary of Students Services at the Placement and Careers office at the UWI, is disputing the claim that students are not aware of the programme.
She noted that students are generally enthusiastic about the programme and are always looking toward the application period. Miss Dwyer said that some students do not usually realise that the application date has passed. She, however, mentioned that JAMVAT called the university to recruit more students because not enough had applied.
Rev. Jones explained that the work-study programme usually starts during the summer and each student is required to complete 200 hours of work for the academic year.
He added that some students usually complete their allotted hours before the academic year begins in September. He said that about half have already completed their hours for this year.
He noted that students are selected based on the means test that is used by the Students' Loan Bureau.
