The National Baking Company Foundation STEM Enhancement Scholarship Fund was established through Agreement with The University of the West Indies, Mona (Faculty of Science and Technology) and the National Baking Company Foundation in March 2021. The programme was officially launched on April 27, 2021. The overall objective of the programme is to enhance STEM education in Jamaica by providing a continuous stream of quality science and mathematics teachers through an innovative ‘back-end’ incentivized scholarship programme that entails ‘Building Out Our Stem Teachers’ (BOOST). It is anticipated that the programme will be implemented through a 6-year pilot. The programme also has the objective of encouraging students to see giving back to their country as a noble and viable option at the beginning of their career.

• STEM competencies are needed to BOOST Jamaica’s development agenda.
• There is a dire need to BOOST the STEM teacher cohort in Jamaica.
• A revolving cohort of the best STEM graduates is one way to BOOST the number of STEM teachers available.
• This innovative ‘back-end incentivized’ Private Sector/UWI scholarship can BOOST the students’ resume, BOOST the Private Sector’s image as a supporter of STEM, and BOOST our nation’s development potential.

The programme is being executed in collaboration with the Faculty of Humanities and Education, The University of the West Indies, Mona , The Office of Student Financing, The University of the West Indies, Mona, The Mico University College, Students’ Loan Bureau, Jamaica Teaching Council, National Education Inspectorate, The American Friends of Jamaica, Digicel Foundation, NCB Foundation and the Chemical Medical and Scientific Supplies Limited.

The programme is only applicable to students of Jamaican nationality.

• Registered student in the Faculty of Science and Technology or Faculty of Humanities and Education in their final semester pursing one of the following degrees:
  
  • BSc (science/math major)
  • BSc (science/math with education major)
  • BSc (science/math with education minor)
  • BEd (education with science/math major)
  • BSc Computer Science/Information Technology and any other digital technology subject
• Applicants should have a Degree GPA equal to 2.5 or above.

Applications period: January 1 - March 31.

To apply for the programme an Application Form, two Referee's Reports, an unofficial copy of your UWI transcript, curriculum vitae and your passport-like digital photograph should be submitted to the following submission link. The forms can be accessed by visiting the following links:

• Application Form
• Referee’s Report

• A cohort of the best 10 applicants will be selected after the interview process and awarded the scholarships for the given year. Three of the spaces will be reserved for Math students, provided that there are students that meet the qualifying standard. If there are no Math students that meet the qualifying standard, the places will go to Science students.
• Scholarship winners will be placed in a high school with a need to teach their subject specialty in the school year immediately following completion of their degree. Schools may wish to interview the cohort to determine the best fit. 

• The scholarship is valued at the cost of one year’s tuition in the Faculty of Science and Technology, UWI, Mona (2020 value of $300,000). The first year’s scholarship will become payable at the end of July, after completion of the first year of teaching. If the awardee has a student loan with the Students’ Loan Bureau (SLB) the scholarship will be applied directly to the loan balance.
• The scholar in addition may receive an ‘incentive payment’ of $500,000 for exceptional performance, which is given at the end of each year completed in teaching.
• The scholarship is in addition to any regular pay the scholar would have received.
• The scholarship can be renewed for, up to, two additional years.
• The scholarship will benefit the scholars by providing work experience, offering networking opportunities, and providing a rewarding experience.

To learn more about the programme, please view the following links:

• Information Session
• FST/NBCF initiative to give major BOOST to STEM education
• Launch of the National Baking Company Foundation STEM Enhancement Scholarship Fund/BOOST Programme