KINGSTON, Jamaica—”For students who no longer have to wonder if their parents can find the money for that third or fourth subject, this bursary is a source of immense relief and motivation,” said Oneish Shaw, deputy head boy of Tarrant High School, speaking at the presentation of National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation’s 2026 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) national bursary programme, recently.

Shaw’s words capture what the programme means at its most human level.

For many students, the difference is simple: they can sit the exams they need. The bursary removes a cost that often determines whether they can take additional subjects or complete their requirements.