ENTREPRENEURSHIP CURRICULUM TO BE BROADENED

As part of the efforts to foster greater innovation and participation from young Jamaicans, the Government is now seeking to widen the entrepreneurship curriculum in schools.
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, speaking at the launch of Scotiabank’s 2016 Vision Achiever Programme at the Scotia Group Financial Centre in Kingston, on May 11, said the curriculum is expected to be introduced in all primary, secondary and tertiary institutions.

“It is critical that we sensitise young people to the need to study at an early stage about how to do business,” he said.
Mr. Samuda said the Ministry has been working to encourage young persons with brilliant minds to be more innovative “and to focus on those things that we can create and call Jamaican, so that when we export them, we get the benefit of our own innovation.”
The Minister said the Government recognises the importance of the Micro, Small and Medium-size Enterprises (MSMEs), in achieving broad-based and inclusive growth.
As such, he said the Administration has been providing training and development opportunities to assist in the growth and viability of the MSME sector.
“In recent times, we have been targeting MSME deficiencies in areas such as business planning, cash flow projection, management, bookkeeping, marketing and customer service,” he said.
Mr. Samuda gave the Ministry’s full endorsement of Scotiabank’s Vision Achiever Programme which he said is in keeping with the Administration’s policy of creating and enhancing business and development support and fostering a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation.
Participants will be trained in sales, systemising the business process, marketing and understanding business financials. They will also be eligible for a number of prizes valued over $1.4 million to include brand development campaigns, special grant assistance, digital marketing products and business solution products.

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