One thousand two hundred students are to receive tablets donated by persons in the diaspora, through a drive spearheaded by Jamaica’s Consul General to New York, Allison Wilson.
The effort is spearheaded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade; the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, and the National Education Trust (NET).
Addressing the handover ceremony at the Education Ministry in Kingston, yesterday, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, said the initiative emanated from an appeal by the Government for support, adding that more tablets will be shipped to the island, so that “more young lives” will benefit.
“At times such as these when countries are facing similar challenges, and all children are challenged, these donations are even more appreciated. We also appreciate the thoughtfulness of the donors and the extension of the spirit of charity across borders,”
she added.
She said the donation is another “tangible expression” of the cooperation between the two Ministries, and that the ‘One Laptop or Tablet Per Child’ initiative by the Ministry is as “ambitious as it is visionary and laudable”.
Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams, said the education system has been pushed to embrace the use of technology, and all hands must be on deck to help in bridging the digital divide.
She noted that the contribution from the diaspora is “very noteworthy and commendable”.