Transforming a Caribbean nation into a global hub for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
On April 4, 2024, Prime Minister Andrew Holness made history at the opening of the Future Ready International conference at the University of Technology (UTech), officially declaring Jamaica a STEM Island. This declaration signifies a national commitment to utilizing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics through STEM Literacy as an engine to drive Jamaica's development and bolster the country's international competitiveness. The vision is clear: to foster innovation, driving economic growth and empowering Jamaicans to thrive in the global knowledge economy.
Discover the story behind Jamaica's bold declaration and the transformative vision for becoming a global STEM leader
Watch Prime Minister Andrew Holness declare Jamaica a STEM Island—a transformative commitment to rebuild stronger, smarter, and more resilient through science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education.
PM Holness's declaration of Jamaica as a STEM Island is a first for an island state and the first such declaration for any country.
A comprehensive national strategy to transform Jamaica's education system and economy through STEM excellence
Position Jamaica as a Caribbean and global leader in STEM education, innovation, and technology-driven economic development.
Achieving STEM Island status requires an "all hands on deck approach" involving government, private sector, academia, and civil society.
Develop a skilled workforce capable of competing in global markets and position Jamaica as a hub for STEM research, innovation, and collaboration in the Caribbean and beyond
Encourage growth of STEM industries including biotechnology, information technology, and advanced manufacturing. Develop ecosystems for startups, entrepreneurs, and innovators
Leverage STEM to grow and monetize Jamaica's musical, artistic, cultural, and other natural talents—recognizing the island's rich cultural capital
Apply STEM solutions to environmental challenges including climate change, renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and disaster-resilient design
"Jamaica will not just participate in the Fourth Industrial Revolution—we will lead it. Our children will not just consume technology—they will create it. This is our moment to show the world that small islands can have big dreams and the determination to achieve them."
— Jamaica Ministry of Education & Youth, April 2024
Reshaping education to prepare students and educators for a future defined by AI, Automation, and Robotics
The STEM Island declaration is fundamentally about re-engineering Jamaica's national culture so that all Jamaicans are STEM ready for a 21st century where they will coexist with intelligent automated machines. This comprehensive STEM reform runs from primary through tertiary levels, ensuring every student is prepared for an AI-driven future.
Building foundational STEM knowledge and skills to cultivate technical fluency and innovation
Applying STEM to real challenges: damage assessment, water quality, solar power, device repair
Developing cross-cultural collaboration skills and global perspectives through organic international partnerships
Critical infrastructure and educational programs supporting the STEM Island transformation
A Teacher Innovation Center is scheduled to be built at Hero Circle in Kingston, in close proximity to Micro Teachers College. This center will serve as a hub for educator training, curriculum development, and STEM pedagogy innovation.
The STEM tertiary scholarship program was launched a year prior to the STEM Island declaration conference, providing financial support for students pursuing STEM degrees at universities and ensuring Jamaica develops the next generation of scientists, engineers, and technologists.
Ongoing efforts involve fundraising for school infrastructure needs, focusing on building physical learning spaces. Initiatives like School2School™ are enhancing STEM literacy by applying it to authentic problems and incorporating AI literacy modules embedded in projects.
The national commitment ensures that STEM education provides everything students have dreamed about as young people, allowing them to tap into their own genius using modern tools like AI to solve real-world problems and create innovative solutions for their communities.
A state-of-the-art facility dedicated to research in teaching and learning, with emphasis on teacher training aligned with workforce needs
The National STEM Center represents Jamaica's commitment to building world-class educator capacity. This center will serve as the national hub for STEM education innovation, ensuring every teacher has access to cutting-edge methodologies, research, and professional development.
Prepare teachers in integrative STEM education methodologies, providing ongoing professional development and curricular support for in-service educators
Conduct research in teaching, learning, and performance factors in Science and Mathematics to support intervention strategies at the national level
Provide ongoing curricular support to primary and secondary students through workshops in robotics, coding, and other STEM disciplines
Create opportunities for working partnerships among teacher preparation institutions locally and abroad, connecting Jamaica to global STEM education networks
Promote best practices in developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills at primary and secondary levels of schooling
Promote effective and inclusive integration of technologies in teaching and learning across all subjects, preparing educators for AI-enhanced classrooms
To maintain skills and keep abreast of new developments, teachers need time, support, and encouragement. The National STEM Center provides attendance at workshops and professional conferences, access to new laboratory equipment and curricula, and opportunities to work with colleagues in schools, colleges, and the science, technology, mathematics, and engineering research communities.
Named to honor Jamaica's independence year, the 1962 Implementation Project is a working model demonstrating that STEM Island is tangible, in development, and achieving success. This island-wide soft launch establishes the foundation for national transformation.
From Mico, UWI, and primary/secondary schools across the island
From communities surrounding education institutions
Teachers and community members providing guidance
Across the island in urban and rural communities
Plotted at Mico University College and University of the West Indies, providing hands-on training environments
Based in primary and secondary schools, bringing STEM experiences directly to students in their learning environments
School labs open to communities in evenings, ensuring STEM access extends beyond school hours
In just months, Jamaica began transforming the STEM Island vision into reality
Schools received support multiple projects
Teachers trained in STEM pedagogy and technology integration
International partnerships formed between U.S. schools and Jamaican schools
Launched initiative to embed STEM/STEAM into core curriculum, enrichment, and intervention
Government of Jamaica is in the process of constructing six new Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) schools across the country, as part of a national education transformation plan
Jamaica hosted the first-ever international STEM conference in the Caribbean: The Mico STEM Century International Conference (2023) and Future Ready International Conference (2024)
Two catastrophic hurricanes threatened to erase years of progress and derail Jamaica's STEM Island vision
US $5.4 billion in damage across multiple parishes
200+ schools damaged, including newly upgraded STEM labs
Destroyed equipment, flooded classrooms, collapsed roofs
Months of learning lost as schools struggled to reopen
Category 5 hurricane with 185 mph winds—strongest in Jamaica's history
462,000 people without power, 19 lives lost
Hundreds of schools damaged or destroyed before full recovery from Beryl
STEM Island vision at risk of being abandoned due to crisis
Without immediate support, Jamaica risks losing not just school buildings, but an entire generation's access to the STEM education that was promised. The STEM Island declaration could become a footnote in history rather than a blueprint for the future. This is why School2School™ exists.
Connecting 1,000 U.S. schools with Jamaican partners to preserve and strengthen the STEM Island vision through co-creation, not charity
Students helping students—U.S. schools partner with Jamaican schools to design and implement STEM solutions together, fostering mutual learning and cultural exchange
Restore and upgrade STEM labs, maker spaces, and learning environments damaged by Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa, ensuring every Jamaican student has access to world-class facilities
Apply STEM to authentic problems like damage assessment, water quality testing, solar power, and device repair—embedding AI literacy to prepare students for the future
Each U.S. school contributes $1,000 to partner with a Jamaican school. With 1,000 partnerships, we raise $1 million to rebuild STEM Island. 100% of funds go directly to Jamaican schools through The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), with 21st Century Ed absorbing all operating costs.
Schools across the United States and Jamaica are joining forces to rebuild STEM Island. Here are examples of partnerships in action:
Portland, Oregon • 1,200 students
Partnered with Montego Bay High • Focus: Solar Power & Water Quality
Atlanta, Georgia • 800 students
Partnered with Kingston College • Focus: AI Literacy & Coding
San Francisco, California • 650 students
Partnered with May Pen High • Focus: Device Repair & Robotics
St. James Parish • 1,100 students
Received: Solar charging station, water testing kits • 85 student ambassadors
Kingston • 950 students
Received: Computer lab upgrade, AI curriculum materials • 120 student ambassadors
Clarendon Parish • 780 students
Received: Maker space equipment, robotics kits • 65 student ambassadors
U.S. schools can sponsor a Jamaican partner school for $1,000. Students collaborate on STEM projects, exchange ideas, and build lasting friendships across borders.
This isn't just about disaster relief—it's about preserving a transformative vision for an entire nation
Every Jamaican child deserves access to world-class STEM education, not determined by where they were born or whether a hurricane destroyed their school. Rebuilding STEM Island ensures:
Jamaica's STEM Island initiative is a model for how small nations can punch above their weight. Supporting this vision demonstrates: