Developing communities in which we serve remains at the heart of NCB's business driven focus. NCB, through the NCB Foundation, continues to find meaningful ways to touch and transform lives in communities across the length and breadth of our beautiful Island, Jamaica.
The Jamaican Education Initiative - a programme through which NCB invests a percentage of all KeyCard sales to fund education efforts in Jamaica. There is a critical nexus between the performance of NCB and its philanthropic efforts. The funds allocated to the N.C.B. Foundation for its varied initiatives are generated from revenues and profits realised by the NCB Group. By linking the bank’s performance with what it gives back, the Foundation tangibly demonstrates its commitment to providing educational opportunities for Jamaican youth.
Annual Scholarship and Grant Programme - this programme assists primary and secondary level students with book vouchers, whilst, tertiary students are assisted with grants of $50K up to $100k tenable for an academic year and scholarships up to $500K per year for the duration of their study, assuming their academic performance remains in good standing and they volunteer. Through this programme, the N.C.B. Foundation has invested more than $275M and directly impacted more than 4,000 individuals. NCBF’s assistance though geared to the students also has positive implications for their families, communities and the nation at large.
NCB CSEC POA/POB National Bursary Programme - through this initiative the N.C.B. Foundation provides a grant to students seeking to take these examinations, once they meet the requirements for qualification. Schools that receive the bursary must have at least a 90 per cent sit rate in each subject, over the last two years, as well as students should have submitted school based assessments (SBAs) and hold, at minimum, a 70 per cent average to qualify. This is in support of the Ministry of Education’s efforts which pays the examination fee for four subjects enabling all qualified secondary students to meet the minimum qualifying standard of six subjects for tertiary enrollment. To date, NCBF has contributed in excess of $155M for more than 100,000 high school students who sat the CSEC Principles of Accounts and Principles of Business exams free of cost.
Adopt-a-School Programme - launched in 2014 the N.C.B. Foundation has already adopted 31 primary schools across the island through this programme which seeks to impact the lives of these primary school students through volunteerism, direct mentorship and financial support. To this end the Foundation has completed a financial literacy programme in the schools in partnership with Junior Achievement; participated in Read Across Jamaica Day, Teachers’ Day, Book Drives plus mentoring programmes.
Other Activities - The N.C.B. Foundation’s team continues to work closely with the Ministry of Education on strengthening the Mathematics education curriculum for secondary school students from first to fifth form through the Mathematics Scope and Sequence Programme which is making a considerable contribution towards transforming Jamaica’s education system. Also, as a part of its thrust to improve the quality of educational experiences and access to resources, the N.C.B. Foundation has:
donated computers, printers and other technological learning aid to schools across the island
participated in many beautification and renovation projects.
funded significant ventures in training early stage entrepreneurs.
supporting programmes in the field of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) schools across the island. These investments to date total more than $200M. The N.C.B. Foundation (NCBF) continues to be one of the most significant, if not the largest singular private-sector contributor to education in Jamaica. This is evidenced by its unstinting commitment to the development of the sector, but more so, affording individuals the opportunity to access the important commodity.