One hundred and forty three grade four students enrolled in 20 primary schools across St. Elizabeth, on Friday (November 12), received tablet computers under the Government’s Tablets in Schools Programme.
Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Fayval Williams, made the presentations to the youngsters, who are on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), during handover ceremonies at Black River Primary and Infant and Holland Primary Schools.
Speaking during the function at Black River Primary, Minister Williams said the coronavirus pandemic highlighted the importance of technology to the teaching-learning process.
“There will be more as we continue the roll out. Our primary goal is to stimulate interest in information and communication technology to better prepare our students for the 21st century,” she said.
Mrs. Williams pointed out that Government is continuing its thrust to ensure all students receive a device, while noting that technology will remain a permanent fixture in education.
“We want Jamaica to become a digital society, and the best place to start with that is with our children,” she said.
The Minister informed that parents, who have been assisting their children to access virtual classes, have indicated that they are also benefitting as they are, in the process, learning the basics of technology, adding “so it has positive spillover benefits.”
“We’re also encouraging our teachers to bring [the tablets] into the classroom when you come back into the face to face environment,” she further said.
For her part, Communications Manager at e-Learning Jamaica Company Limited, Kimona Gordon, said since the pandemic’s onset, the entity has distributed over 39,000 tablets to primary school students in grades four to six islandwide.
“e-Learning Jamaica [remains] dedicated to nation building and, of course, working with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information to facilitate the development of a knowledge-based society using [information and communication technology] ICT methodologies,” she pointed out, while encouraging the students to safeguard their devices.
Principal of Parottee Primary School, one of the beneficiary institutions, Denash Clarke, in expressing gratitude for the devices, said teachers are now able to reach more students in the virtual learning space.
“It’s a great gesture and I know that the students are going to benefit a lot from it. As was said before, it’s not just about online [instructional delivery], but utilising the tablets in regular face to face classes. So when each child has a tablet, you’re better able to reach all the students,” she said.
Meanwhile, Principal of White Hill Primary, Sharon Frith-Barrett, told JIS News that the devices will enhance learning for students.
“We are grateful for the tablets, because they will help… the students, especially those who are not able to afford devices and those who have not been able to log on to online classes,” she said.
