MOFPS LAUNCHES NATIONAL BUDGET SECONDARY SCHOOL TOUR

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Kingston, Jamaica: Tuesday, April 18, 2023

The Ministry of Finance and the Public Service (MOFPS) kicked off the 2023/24 National Budget Secondary School Tour at Wolmer’s Trust High School for Girls on Tuesday, April 18, 2023.

The inaugural session saw students and staff of Wolmer’s Boys and Girls Schools benefiting from a deep dive into the government’s expenditure for the financial year.

The launch also dissected the 2023/24 Citizens’ Guide to the Budget and sets in motion a series of 10 workshops geared at sensitising secondary school students in the corporate area. The presentations likewise explored the role and functions of the Ministry.

Hon. Nigel Clarke, DPhil., MP, Minister of Finance and the Public Service, highlighted the Ministry’s stride to ensure the national budget is easily understood among all Jamaicans.

“The National Budget Secondary School Tour is an initiative of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service to make the national budget more accessible to Jamaicans. It follows other similar initiatives such as the annual Citizens’Guide to the Budget,” says Minister Clarke.

He further added, “Information is the lifeblood of a democracy. We hope to empower Jamaican citizens through the democratisation of budgetary information and by so doing strengthen the health and vibrancy of our country.”

This grass root approach is a part of the Ministry’s push to inform and engage young Jamaicans about things of national impact.

Meanwhile, Hon. Fayval Williams, MP, Minister of Education and Youth commended the MOFPS for spearheading the initiative and implored students to take advantage of the information being shared.

“This was an awesome session, I am very impressed with the participation and the quality of questions coming from our students. I want to thank the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service for this initiative; to raise awareness about the national budget among our students,” Minister Williams said.

She also emphasised, “All our children need to understand the national budget, what it means to them in their own lives and the lives of their communities as well, so I welcome and embrace this initiative.”

In the meantime, Dwight Pennycooke, Principal of Wolmer’s Boys, said this initiative is changing the understanding of the national budget.

“This is an excellent initiative geared at garnering understanding and the fact that the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service would have seen it fit to start with students, I think will be a game changer in terms of people understanding the national budget and how it impacts on their lives and their livelihood,” he said.   

Diamonique Brown, Head Girl for Wolmer’s Girls, said, “The session was very informative, it tied in a lot of aspects of budget planning and aspects of our economy that a lot of persons might not be familiar with and it was really exciting to see the young girls and gentlemen answering the questions to the best of their abilities.”

“As we’re going into the workforce… In a few years this will be us so we need to understand the national budget… even if we’re not necessarily going into finance, the budget and economy still affect everyone so it’s important for all of us to know the different aspects,” added Brown.

Over 250 students were present at the launch which included an outside broadcast on ZIP103 FM. The school tour will make stops at St. Hugh’s High School for Girls, Clan Carthy, Excelsior, Camperdown, Denham Town, St. George’s College and Jamaica College. It will culminate on Friday, April 28, 2023, at Holy Childhood High.

The topics to be explored during the tour include understanding where the money comes from to fund the budget, parts of the national budget, how funds are allocated and Public Debt, among other areas.

The presentations will be conducted by members of the Ministry’s Corporate Communication and Public Relations Branch and the Fiscal Policy Management Branch.

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For further information contact: 

Corporate Communication & Public Relations Branch

Ministry of Finance and the Public Service

30 National Heroes Circle

Kingston 4

Tel: (876) 932-4656/4660/4655

Email:  Shelly-Ann.Weeks@mof.gov.jm; Shakiel.Rochester-Shorter@mof.gov.jm