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Paying School Fees in Jamaica Gets Easier

KINGSTON, Jamaica – It is now possible to pay your children’s school fees directly to their schools through JN Money Transfer locations overseas.

As of November 16th, JN Money Services Limited (JNMS), a subsidiary of Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS), through an agreement with Student Card Jamaica Limited (SCL) will facilitate tuition, exam, book rental and a host of other payments directly to schools through its JN Money Transfer locations in the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Cayman Islands.

“It’s another way of making it easier for our customers overseas to honour their financial obligations in Jamaica and assist their loved ones by simply walking into the JN Money Transfer location closest to them,” says Leesa Kow, General Manager of JNMS.

Based on its agreement with Student Card, JNMS will act as Student Card’s exclusive collection agent in the overseas markets through its JN Money Transfer operations.

“Parents will be able to make their payments in the same way that we allow customers overseas to pay their water, light and phone bills, locally,” says Miss Kow. “This part of the agreement will be exclusive to us,” she continues.

In addition, JNMS will collect bill payments on Student Card’s behalf in Jamaica. The service will not cost customers locally; however, it will attract a fee in the overseas market.

Parents can also add money to their children’s card at JN branches and Money Shops locally. The cards can be used at point of sale terminals to purchase school items, including lunch, only in the respective schools.

“This new service makes administration and school bill payments easier and more efficient,” says Miss Kow. “And it creates a secure and safe environment for schools, as it facilitates a cashless means of doing transactions that would otherwise involve large sums of money.”

“Many of our overseas remittance customers have been expressing a need to monitor how the funds they send home are used. Therefore, this addition to our service is in response to that stated need,” Miss Kow says.

The Student Card is secure and allows parents to track the spending habits of their children. The card displays the photograph and name of the card owner. Each school is also provided with a secure password to view, reconcile and track student payments.


Jason Carrigan (left), Digicel’s Director of Sales in the Caribbean, shows off the Digicel sponsored Student Card to Dr. Walton Small, Principal of Wolmer’s Boys’ School; Leesa Kow, General Manager of JN Money Services Limited (JNMS) and Esther Tyson, Principal of Ardenne High School, at the November 17 launch of the product at the Terra Nova All- Suite Hotel in St. Andrew. JNMS, through its partnership with Student Card Jamaica Limited, will facilitate direct payments to schools through Jamaica National Building Society’s 32 branches and Money Shops locally. It will also allow payments to be made directly to schools from overseas through its JN Money Transfer locations in the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Cayman Islands.

School Savers’ Programme

Miss Kow also says the JNMS partnership with Student Card Limited will allow card carrying students to save. And, in that regard, the Jamaica National will introduce its JN School Savers’ Programme in schools that are not yet participants.

“Through the School Savers Programme, students will become members of Jamaica National and will be entitled to the Society’s member benefits,” she outlines.

Jamaica National, through its JN School Savers’ Programme, has long been involved in activities that encourage and reinforce responsible financial habits among young people. The savings programme was formalised in 2001 to encourage students to develop the habit of thrift.

Currently, some 107,543 students in 801 basic, primary and secondary schools across the island are members of the JN School Savers’ Programme.

“Our partnership with Student Card will help us in our continuing efforts to promote financial responsibility from an early age,” says Miss Kow, “And, this service will encourage students to use their cards to save and conduct transactions in support of their educational pursuits.”


Leesa Kow (right), General Manager of JN Money Services Limited; Esther Miller, fourth former at the Kingsway High School in St. Andrew (centre) and five year-old, Joelle King of Kingsway Preparatory, watch closely as Danielle Jones, Customer Service Representative at Student Card Jamaica Limited (SCL), demonstrates how to use the card. The Student Card was launched on November 17 at the Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in St. Andrew. JNMS, through its partnership with SCL, will facilitate direct payments to schools through the Jamaica National Building Society’s 32 branches and Money Shops locally. It will also allow payments to be made directly to schools from overseas through its JN Money Transfer locations in the United States of America, Canada, the United Kingdom and the Cayman Islands.

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