NEST STEM Programme Expands To 500 Jamaican Early-Childhood Schools

Jamaica is expanding the Nurturing Early Scientific Thinking (NEST) Programme to 500 early-childhood institutions as part of a national push to expose young children to science from the earliest stage of schooling.

Minister without Portfolio responsible for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr. the Hon. Andrew Wheatley, said the programme is slated to cover institutions in all seven education regions and all 14 parishes before the end of 2026.

Implementation, he said, has begun in Kingston, St. Andrew, Portland, St. Mary and St. Thomas. The remaining parishes are expected to be added before year-end to complete the islandwide rollout.

Dr. Wheatley said NEST will reach “every region, every parish, 500 institutions, because the child who grows up asking ‘why’ and ‘how’ is the entrepreneur, the innovator, and the problem-solver Jamaica needs, and that journey begins not at university but at age three”.

He made the remarks on Tuesday, June 2, while contributing to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives.

According to Dr. Wheatley, NEST gives Jamaica a structured way to place inquiry, problem-solving and evidence-based thinking at the foundation of early-childhood education.

He said the initiative equips early-childhood educators to lead play-centred science activities, using Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics activity books along with practical STEM kits made for that age group.

“NEST targets our youngest children because for far too long we have sought to embed and grow scientific thinking at the secondary and tertiary level. This approach, in my estimation, is wrong and we must start cultivating scientific minds at the basic and primary level,” he said.

Dr. Wheatley said the pilot phase ran from February to June 2025 and involved 25 early-childhood institutions in Kingston and St. Andrew. Schools were intentionally chosen from Zones of Special Operations, low-performing institutions and compliant schools.

He also reported that 25 educators received training through a Training of Trainers model delivered by Early Childhood Commission officers. Mentorship support came from the Association of Science Teachers of Jamaica.

“The evaluation is positive, the evidence base is built and the scale-up plan is ready,” Dr. Wheatley said.