Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Security Dr Horace Chang is highlighting the critical role of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in advancing Jamaica’s national security strategy and broader development agenda.

Speaking during Wednesday’s launch of the University of Technology (UTech) STEM Summer Camp at the institution’s Western Campus in Montego Bay, St James, Dr Chang highlighted how mathematical theory is already being applied in Jamaica’s national security framework.

He referenced the audit sets theory, which encompasses auditing and financial accounting frameworks used to understand criminal behaviour, offering insights into why individuals commit financial crimes and the systemic factors enabling them.

Dr Chang also highlighted the success of Commissioner of Police, Dr Kevin Blake, as a prime example of how scientific thinking and data-driven strategies are transforming national policing, underscoring Jamaica’s shift towards intelligence-led crime fighting.

He also emphasised the urgent need to equip more young Jamaicans with STEM skills to drive innovative, data-informed change.

The minister encouraged students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, while urging UTech to expand its engineering output to meet national development demands.

“I’d like UTech to turn out 2,000 engineers per year. That’s what countries like Singapore have done. With a population not much larger than Jamaica’s, they trained 10,000 engineers and now boast a per capita income of US$80,000.

Dr Chang, who is also Member of Parliament for St James North Western, announced that, through his constituency scholarship fund, he is fully covering tuition costs for students pursuing studies in mathematics.

“We need more people doing mathematics. That’s how we transform our society—through analytical, data-driven operations in all areas, including government and policing,” he emphasised.