Students and staff at the Boundbrook Primary School in Portland, have received a boost to the teaching and learning experience, following the handover of a state-of-the-art Smart Lab to the institution by the Digicel Foundation.
The facility, which boasts 12 laptops, 12 tablets, a smart board and a printer, was presented to the school on Thursday (November 21).
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation, Charmaine Daniels, addressing the handover ceremony, noted that the lab was built in memory of late Board Director, Heather Moyston, who hailed from the parish of Portland and who was an advocate for education.
It is the 11th Smart Lab built by the Foundation and the first to be handed over in Portland.
Ms. Daniels said it is envisioned that the facility will allow students to “explore possibilities” and to immerse in the increasingly important Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) curriculum.
To the parents, Ms. Daniels said: “This is your room. As a community, this is for you to protect, this is for you to use, it is put there for the kids to use…to learn, to grow, to develop, to become the next engineers, the next developers, the next coders.”
The CEO also mentioned the Boundbrook Urban Centre project, for which ground was broken earlier this year, while informing the students that more job opportunities will be at their doorsteps.
“Take full advantage of the technology,” Ms. Daniels encouraged.
In the meantime, Senior Education Officer for Region 2 in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Lebert Drysdale, hailed the Digicel Foundation for its outstanding corporate citizenship.
“Today, we are once again witnessing the Digicel Foundation’s commitment to education with a significant investment at Boundbrook Primary, specifically through the establishment of this innovative smart room,” Mr. Drysdale said.
“This state-of-the-art facility will play a crucial role in supporting students who may have fallen through the cracks, as well as those who are advanced or gifted. It will provide them with the necessary stimulation to help them reach their full potential,” she added.
Mr. Drysdale also urged the students to take care of the facility, while stating that the teachers are eager and trained to provide them with the required guidance.
