School gets tablets
Published:Wednesday | October 8, 2014 | 5:32 PMLauntia Cuff
BLACK RIVER, St Elizabeth:
STUDENTS AT Marie Cole Memorial Primary School in North East St Elizabeth were beside themselves with excitement as they recently received their new tablets courtesy of the Tablets in School programme.
Of the 38 schools across the island that have been selected, Marie Cole was the first in Region 5 of the Ministry of Education to receive devices through the programme.
e-learning Jamaica Company Limited's implementation supervisor, Dorothy Thompson, said it was necessary to give the devices directly to the students, as in some cases, when they were given to the school, students still did not have enough access.
educational stimulus
Member of Parliament Raymond Pryce said it was important that the school be a part of the programme as it was one of the remote institutions in the constituency where many parents do not possess secondary level education. He said this programme could, therefore, act as an educational stimulus within the community and its environs.
The main stakeholders in the programme are the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining; e-learning Jamaica, which is the implementing company. The Universal Service Fund provides the Internet access for the school and community and the Ministry of Education is the main body responsible for education and selecting the content that goes on the tablets.
monitor usage
Delmas Smith, principal of the school said it is important that parents and teachers monitor the students' use of the tablets to ensure that they are being used for the primary purpose of learning.
Although the programme made provision for each registered student at the school to receive a tablet, some students were not able to get theirs as parents or guardians did not show up to sign for the devices. Smith said teachers would now have to find ways to ensure that those without tablets learn just as well as students who received. The principal encouraged parents of those students without to make do without and to ensure that learning still takes place as he will not encourage sharing.