The ABC’s of the Jamaica Values and Attitudes Trust Programme (JAMVAT) for Tertiary Students.
Please READ all instructions carefully. Where additional information is required, please contact:
JAMVAT
Ministry of Education, Youth & Information
Building Three, Tertiary Unit
2-4 Heroes Circle
Kingston
Tel: (876) 612-6046 or 612-6050
Email: [email protected]
JAMVAT will not accept any responsibility for the misinterpretation or incorrect application of programme rules. Applications must be thoroughly completed. Incomplete applications will not be processed.
The placement section must be appropriately signed and stamped as required. Applicants are required to submit the details of two (2) persons who may provide reference on his/her behalf. Suitable referees are: Justices of the Peace, Ministers of Religion, Academic Dean, Heads of Faculty, Guidance/Career Counsellors, JCF Officer at the rank of Inspector or above, Attorneys-at-law, Medical Doctors.
Approval
Approvals are based on the review of the following documents which confirm the applicant’s eligibility to the programme:
- New tertiary students:
* Completed application form
* Letter of Acceptance to a local tertiary institution and where the intended course of study has been approved by the University Council of Jamaica (UCJ) - Returning tertiary students:
• Completed application form
• Transcript or Progress Report (no older than 6 months) 3. Status Letter (no older than 6 months).
Approvals are done in batches and the lists of approved applicants are sent to participating schools. Email will also be sent to approved applicants. Applicants who have accepted Student Loan Bureau (SLB) are now eligible to receive JAMVAT within the same academic year.
The minimum academic performance for acceptance is “B” or GPA 2.5 for returning students. Each student can benefit from JAMVAT up to three (3) times, applying each year.
Appeal
Applicants who do not meet this standard but who believe there are compelling reasons for them to be considered MUST submit a written request for further consideration. These will be treated as SPECIAL CASES whereby the FATE Committee will consider each request on its own merit.
Starting voluntary hours
All approved students will be contacted advised of their approval through the receipt of an official approval letter (emailed or otherwise) from the JAMVAT office. Students SHOULD NOT commence voluntary hours for the JAMVAT programme without written approval from the JAMVAT office.
The OFFICIAL start date for voluntary service for each student is the student’s DATE OF APPROVAL. Any service initiated before the student’s official approval date will not qualify for JAMVAT assistance.
Students are required to download documents in the Commencement Package email with the relevant forms needed to conduct the 200 hours of voluntary service. Before starting the voluntary hours, students should sign and submit the JAMVAT agreement form.
Benefits of JAMVAT
The JAMVAT programme pays 30% of TUITION ONLY for approved participants. A stipend of $10,000.00 is also paid to each student who successfully completes the required 200 hours of voluntary service (Note that this is conditional and will only be disbursed on the basis of availability).
Participants benefit from personal development workshops where they are able to interface with other participants on the programme, share their experiences, check their status and interact with speakers on matters of national interest.
Students contribute to community and national development through volunteerism. Students also benefit from real world professional experience. The JAMVAT participants must complete 200 or more voluntary hours before or at the close of the programme to qualify for the 30% of tuition grant.
Students who do not complete the required service on or before the stated deadline will not qualify for payment. JAMVAT accepts no responsibility for miscalculations or errors committed in the calculation of total service hours. Allowances for these errors will be considered on a case by case basis and according to the discretion of the programme administrators.
***A student may complete a minimum of 1 hour and a maximum of 9 hours per day of voluntary work done.
Approved Placement sites
Voluntary service must be done at a governmental, non – profit nongovernmental or community – based organisation. Private companies are not included.
Voluntary service done at unapproved sites does not qualify for payments. If the participant is uncertain about the suitability of a Placement site, he/she must seek approval from the JAMVAT office BEFORE serving.
Clarifications pursued after the fact will not be facilitated. Each Placement site must appoint a supervisor who will monitor the student(s) work over the given period and sign the student’s time card in the slots indicated each day.
Close/Immediate relatives of students SHOULD NOT act as supervisors for JAMVAT participants to avoid the obvious conflict of interest. Voluntary service conducted under these conditions will not be accepted for payment.
Examples of organizations are public: School, Hospital, Clinic, Food for the
Poor, Fire Brigade etc. The supervisor must sign and seal each timecard completed by the student. Timecards not bearing the seal of the placement site will not be
accepted.
Where the Placement site does not have an official stamp, the supervisor must provide a written declaration as verification for the Timecard details. Participants are required to submit the following documentation in the number order given:
- Time Card(s) – Signed & stamped
- Work/Study Agreement – completed
- Bank Return Form – with seal of Branch that provided verification
- JAMVAT Job Description- signed & stamped
- JAMVAT Essay
- JAMVAT work/study Participants’ Performance Review
- JAMVAT work/study participant’s appraisal form
To minimize the opportunity for lost documents, incomplete submissions will not be accepted. Where a student is required to complete voluntary service in fulfillment of requirements to be awarded a certificate at the tertiary institution, such hours WILL NOT qualify to be used as JAMVAT hours.
STUDENT WORKERS MUST complete the required 200 hours at a location outside of the locale of the tertiary institution which they attend. The ABC’s of the Jamaica Values and Attitudes Trust Programme (JAMVAT) for Tertiary Students.
Payment of Tuition & Stipen
Each tertiary institution is required to confirm the correct sum to be paid for each student. Where there is a discrepancy with the stated amount for a student, JAMVAT will pay to the lesser amount until the appropriate rate is determined.
Once the student’s Timecard has been verified and it is confirmed that 200 hours of voluntary service have been completed, JAMVAT may provide a COMMITMENT LETTER to the institution to confirm the student’s eligibility for payment with Seven (7) working days of the request. (Conditions apply)
Participants are required to provide bank account information for the payment of the stipend. Payments are made to accounts held at a COMMERCIAL BANK (NCB or BNS) in Jamaica. Stipend will only be paid if the participant has satisfied all the conditions for JAMVAT support.
No payments will be made for incomplete service or for persons who receive approval but are deemed to be not eligible on reassessment of their information. Please note that JAMVAT payments are non – transferable across academic years.
Grievance Procedures
Kindly refer to the Work/Study Agreement which details the appropriate steps to be taken in such matters.
Essence of the JAMVAT Programme
Tertiary students who qualify for admission, but are financially challenged to cover their tuition cost are assisted through the JAMVAT programme. Access to this programme provides the opportunity for students to participate in the development of the nation’s social capital through their contribution of 200 hours of public service. In response, the government pays 30% of the student’s tuition cost, which should not exceed $350,000.00 per annum.
The objective of the programme is two-fold. JAMVAT promotes the participating students’ awareness of his/her civic responsibility while simultaneously encouraging the positive values and attitudes necessary for community development and nation building.
