MOFPS NATIONAL BUDGET SCHOOL TOUR TAKES CENTER STAGE AT CLARENDON-BASED SCHOOLS

­­­­­­­­Kingston, Jamaica: Tuesday, April 8, 2025

The third staging of the Ministry of Finance and the Public Service’s (MOFPS) National Budget Secondary School Tour is set to engage several schools in the parish of Clarendon. The Ministry rolled out this leg of the school tour with a launch at Glenmuir High School which included students from Denbigh High School on Tuesday, April 8, 2025.

The tour, which forms part of the Ministry’s National Budget Public Education Campaign, is geared at sensitising secondary school students about the 2025/2026 Central Government Budget presented by the Minister of Finance and the Public Service during the budget debates.

The launch sets in motion a series of thirteen workshops that will benefit students in the parish of Clarendon as well as a Kingston-based school.

Hon. Fayval Williams, MP, Minister of Finance and the Public Service in her remarks underscored the Ministry’s commitment to getting students involved in the national budget.

The Minister indicated that “We remain committed to ensuring that our citizens, including our students, understand the budget process, the figures in the budget and that they are keenly aware of the spending and also what areas are supported by the budget. This annual tour has my full endorsement and support and I look forward to receiving feedback from the students”.

Meanwhile, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information said, “I am so happy that our students are able to participate in the Budget Tour. The 2025/26 Citizens’ Guide to the Budget is a wonderful publication that breaks down the plans for the country and how they impact our students and their families. It is important that our children begin engaging with the budget in high school as a critical component of our thrust to reintroduce civics and to give them the tools to better understand government policy.”

Denavon Hayles, Vice Principal of Glenmuir High School, highlighted that his students will have an opportunity to learn more about the budget process through the Citizens’ Guide to the Budget that was utilised during the workshop.

“For the students here at Glenmuir, the Citizen’s Guide that was distributed with the information on how the budget is broken down and its process will enable them to pay keen attention to actual budgeting and understand that the budget is very important, not just for the country but also for individuals on a whole, so I think the tour can enhance that,” noted Hayles.

Also present at the launch was Annett Daley, Principal of Denbigh High who mentioned that the presentation was well received by her students.

“Financial literacy is extremely important, especially for students, because sometimes when they are listening to the budget debate, they are not clear but by coming into schools and making it simple as the presenters have done, it is extremely important for the students. They are now understanding how the budget is financed and how debt is managed,” explained Daley.

In the meantime, Laurel Williams, Head Girl of Glenmuir High said, “I believe these presentations have impacted us simply because, truly the national budget is everybody’s business and the decisions that our Ministry of Finance makes directly impacts us, for example the allocation of funds given to our schools.”

Fearona McLean, Head Girl, Denbigh High School, also stated, “My experience here was very insightful. I was very intrigued by the various speakers that were here including our Finance Minister. She really opened my eyes and educated me on the various things that are within the budget and the financial aspects of the country,” she highlighted.

The school tour is scheduled to conclude on Friday, May 2, 2025 and will make stops at Central High, Foga Road High, Bustamante High, Vere Technical High, Kemps Hill High, Garvey Maceo High, Clarendon College, Thompson Town High, Lennon High, Vaux Hall High and Alphansus Davis High.

The topics that will be explored during the tour include a breakdown of the national budget for this fiscal year, understanding budget terms, where the money comes from to fund the budget and how funds are allocated. The presentations will be conducted by staff from the Ministry’s Corporate Communication and Public Relations Branch, the Public Expenditure Division and the Economic Management Division.

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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:  Shakiel.Rochester-Shorter@mof.gov.jm; Suzell.Wray@mof.gov.jm

Contact: Shakiel Rochester Shorter/Suzell Wray