Scholarship

The JN Foundation is inviting students and their guardians to apply for its 2026 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) Scholarships and Grants Programme, which will provide financial support to high-achieving students transitioning to secondary school.

Students who attained a placement score of 320 or higher in this year’s Grade 6 PEP examinations are eligible to apply for one of 17 five-year scholarships or 10 one-time grants aimed at easing the cost of secondary education.

Under the programme, 14 students will receive the JN Foundation PEP Parish Scholarship, while three students will be awarded the JN Bank Easi-Save County Scholarship. An additional 10 students will benefit from one-time educational grants sponsored by JN Money Services.

The programme will also provide 20 scholarships to children of employees across The Jamaica National Group.

Sydoney Preddie, Lead for Youth and Education at the JN Foundation, said the scholarship programme reflects the organisation’s long-standing commitment to investing in Jamaica’s youth.

“Every year, we are inspired by the determination and achievements of students across the island. Through this programme, we are not only recognising academic excellence but also helping to create opportunities that empower young people to pursue their goals and contribute meaningfully to Jamaica’s development,” she said.

The scholarship programme was established 43 years ago.

Ms Preddie noted that recipients become part of the JN Scholars community, which provides support and development opportunities beyond financial assistance. These include annual summer camps featuring local and international presenters, workshops focused on leadership, financial literacy, stress management and goal setting, as well as opportunities to engage with leaders across The Jamaica National Group.

She added that scholars will also benefit from a new mentorship programme set to be introduced in the upcoming academic year.

“Our scholarship programme goes beyond funding education. We are committed to helping students develop the confidence, skills and networks they need to thrive both inside and outside the classroom,” Miss Preddie said.

To qualify, applicants must have sat the 2026 PEP examinations, must not be recipients of a government or other long-term scholarship, and must have maintained a relationship for at least one year with a JN Group company, such as JN Bank, JN Life Insurance, the Jamaica Automobile Association (JAA), or JN Money Services.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements and submit applications online at www.jnfoundation.com/jn-scholarships by Wednesday, July 15, 2026.

Photo Caption: Azharia Brown, the 2025 JN Foundation PEP scholarship St Andrew awardee, smartly attired in her Campion College uniform.

From the modest home she shares with her mother and younger sister, Azharia Brown never imagined she would one day roam the halls of one of the country’s top high schools, Campion College, as a student.

Homeschooled in her early years, Azharia found the transition to her previous school, Ardenne Prep far from easy. However, she quickly settled in, keeping pace with peers and adapting to a different style of learning. Even when health challenges later disrupted her preparation for the Primary Exit Profile (PEP) exams, she persevered, excelling to secure not only a place at her first-choice school but also a five-year scholarship from the JN Foundation. With a PEP score of 387.5, Azharia earned the scholarship as the awardee for the parish of St. Andrew.

For her, the exams “were easier than expected,” and she is thankful not only for the results but also for the financial aid that will support her studies.  “I just hope I can maintain my grades to keep the scholarship for the full time I’ve been given. I don’t know how my brain works, but once I review something, I grasp the entire topic. Sometimes I don’t even need to open the book, just the notes from class stay with me,” she shared.

Just a few weeks into her new school environment, Azharia has already taken note of her peers’ strong work ethic, saying they are “all serious about their work.”

“My expectation is that I will remain at the top of the class because I also take my work seriously,” she added.

She’s looking forward to getting involved in her new school’s debate, quiz and drama clubs, but her love for mathematics, information technology, and robotics also drives her bigger ambitions. Azharia envisions someday creating groundbreaking inventions for medical science that could improve lives and expand access to healthcare, as well as innovations for entertainment that merge creativity with technology.

“I like seeing people using machines and making their creations and so I want to be an inventor when I grow up,” she said.

That ambition keeps her motivated despite the limited resources, her mother, Junie Powers admits. Ms Powers, who is a special needs tutor in Kingston, said whatever her daughter decides to do, she only wants her to be happy and serve the Lord faithfully.

“She’s been interested in robotics, but we never really knew where to get her that kind of exposure,” Ms. Powers said while congratulating her daughter on her PEP results. Although somewhat surprised by her placement at Campion College, she added, “She has a very good memory.”

Ms Powers noted that securing the JN Foundation scholarship also marks the start of a path she hopes will lead to the discoveries that matter most to her daughter.

“I really appreciate the scholarship and I am happy about what the JN Foundation has been doing for children like Azharia here in Jamaica and their families. I wish the JN team all the success in the programme and I hope Azharia and the other awardees will make very good use of the opportunity,” she said.

On the other hand, Azharia’s father, Patrick Brown, who currently works in finance and accounting after previously being in external auditing, shared that he was not surprised at her results and is proud of her achievements. He said he also looks forward to what she will accomplish in the future.

“She has the support of both parents. We allow her to express herself, and I believe that’s why she’s able to find her own space and apply herself,” he said. “There’s no pressure. I always tell her to get the qualifications out of the way while also learning skills that will give her flexibility in how she approaches the future.”

One of 37 recipients of five-year scholarships this year, Azharia Brown joins the list of hundreds of young Jamaicans whose secondary education have been supported through the JN Foundation’s scholarship programme since 1983. Of the 37, fourteen recipients are parish scholars; three, JN Bank Easi-Save County scholars, and 20 are children of JN Group employees who gained the Building Excellence and Achieving More Success (BEAMS) scholarship for attaining a placement score of at least 320. An additional 10 students were presented with grants by JN Money Services.