As financial pressures continue to weigh on Jamaican households, the JN Financial Academy is preparing to launch the fifth cohort of its Smarter Credit Course, an initiative aimed at improving credit literacy and helping more Jamaicans strengthen their financial footing.
The programme forms part of the JN Group’s wider effort to promote financial empowerment and improve access to economic opportunities through education and practical financial management tools.
Rose Miller, financial education consultant with the JN Foundation, which manages the JN Financial Academy, said poor credit profiles continue to limit access to financing, housing, education and, in some cases, employment opportunities.
“The course is designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to manage and improve credit, repair bad credit and sustain healthy credit, while reinforcing sound money management practices like saving and budgeting,” she said.
The latest staging of the programme carries the tagline, “Better Credit. Bigger Possibilities.”, underscoring the connection between financial literacy and expanded economic opportunities.
Miller said the updated course will offer a more interactive learning experience, with refreshed content designed to reflect current economic realities.
“We are currently facing rising fuel and grocery prices, and as economic pressures mount, initiatives like this serve not only as educational tools but as practical interventions that can help people better adjust and manage their obligations while reducing financial stress,” she said.
The course will feature four self-paced online modules supported by quizzes, along with three live webinars scheduled for June 3, June 17 and July 1 at 6:30 p.m. The sessions will allow participants to engage directly with financial experts and explore topics including credit reports, debt management and responsible borrowing.
Miller noted that the programme remains free to participants, which she said is critical to expanding financial education across a wider cross-section of the population.
“Across the previous four cohorts, participants have demonstrated real transformation in how they approach credit, translating knowledge into meaningful financial progress. We are looking to expand that impact in this next cohort,” she said.
She added that improving credit literacy can also generate broader economic benefits by encouraging greater participation in the formal financial system.
“Many individuals remain underserved or excluded from the formal financial system due to poor credit histories or limited understanding of how credit works,” Miller said. “Expanding credit literacy helps more people to engage in responsible borrowing and reduces risks. This will enable our people and the Jamaican economy to become even more resilient.”
Registration for the Smarter Credit Course is now open through the JN Financial Academy website. Participants who successfully complete the programme will receive a certificate of completion.
