ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA: Junior Achievement (JA) has returned to Grenada after five years, with a US$20, 000 donation from the Grenada Citizen by Investment Unit (CBI).

This was announced during the relaunch of the JA Programme on January 23, 2024 by the CBI Marketing and Communications Officer Rea Burke at the Kirani James Athletic Stadium Conference Room. Burke said CBI will also provide mentorship and business insight to participants.

The theme of the relaunch was “50 Years of Independence: The Resuscitation to Drive Businesses to Success.”

Managing Director of Junior Achievement for the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, Brenda Boddie-John, explained that there has been an upgrade to the JA Company programme for secondary schools. Participants will now have the option of marketing their products and services online.

Boddie-John said, “Our most popular programme that is run throughout the Caribbean is the JA Company Programme, which is a high school entrepreneurship programme. It’s JA’s capstone programme, and we have upgraded it to include 21st Century skill sets, including digitalisation, and we have also upgraded the financial literacy component of that same programme. There are more dynamic experiences that the students will engage with. The opportunities for exposure are greater than the original programme.”

Minister for Education, Sen. Hon. David Andrew charged the students with finding solutions to problems to help shape the next 50 years of Grenada, as the country celebrates its golden jubilee of independence.

The Minister said, “Economics is based on scarcity and, in principle, it’s the same thing, but you have a golden opportunity to see beyond the problems and see the possibilities. All the services you hear talked about, all of the businesses that thrive, they do so because there was at one point a problem, a crisis, a difficulty, but somebody persevered and somebody looked beyond and saw that if I do this, probably something could happen. And, so, despite the fact that there are more questions than answers, that there are problems and difficulties, you have a golden opportunity to help shape and to help find solutions.”

Minister Andrew also expressed gratitude to the sponsors, whose involvement he said showed their commitment to the building of Grenada.

“This is a life skill that you are partnering with us at the Ministry of Education to see happen, to see imparted to students,” he said. “We must endorse it because it gives them the opportunity to think differently and to begin to see and shape the next 50 years in a way that could see us really and truly transform and create a brighter future for our young people.”

Chief Education Officer Dominic Jeremiah noted that JA exposes students to practical business experiences while they learn theory at school.

“Business development and honing entrepreneurial skills are extremely critical. It will also enhance their preparation for the CSEC business cognate subjects.” Jeremiah said.

Past JA members shared the positive experiences and the skills they acquired that have carried them throughout life, while students who will be participating in this upgraded version in 2024, eagerly await the start of the programme. Junior Achievement Grenada intends to reach 3000 young Grenadians, which includes students at secondary schools and young people under age 25.

Participants in the Junior Achievement Company programme conceptualize and create a real business that will solve a problem in the community. They then sell a product or service along with shares in the company and now, with digitalisation, JA participants will be able to market their businesses online.

Junior Achievement is a worldwide organisation that exposes young people to work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.