St James Municipal Corporation hands out 170 tablets to students

WESTERN BUREAU:

One hundred and seventy students from St James are now the recipients of tablet computers, thanks to the St James Municipal Corporation (StJMC) which handed over the devices, putting them in a position to access online classes.

The tablets, valued at just over J$4 million, were distributed to the students at the Montego Bay Cultural Centre in Sam Sharpe Square, Montego Bay, last Wednesday. In keeping with the COVID-19 protocols, the children came in small groups during the course of the day to receive the devices.Osani Haye, a 12-year-old, grade-seven student of Cornwall College, said that his new device would make online learning a simpler affair, compared to his previous use of a cellular phone with data plan.“I feel very good about getting the tablet. I used to have to use the phone, but it was not easy because it was using too much data. But now this will be easier for me,” Osani told The Gleaner.Avania Clarke, a 12-year-old, grade-seven Student of Maldon High School, was likewise pleased to receive her new device, as her lack of phone data plan had made her learning efforts difficult.

GRATEFUL

“I feel grateful to get the tablet. It was kind of complicated for me before this, because I did not have any data[plan] or any tablet,” Avania explained.

The 170 tablets were shared among the StJMC’s 17 divisions, with each councillor getting 10 tablets to distribute to needy students in their division. The student recipients were selected based on recommendations from their schools and previous dialogue with the councillors. Everes Coke, the councillor for the Maroon Town division and chairman of the StJMC’s finance committee, which spearheaded the donation, said the initiative was carried out based on the need for devices to enhance students’ learning capabilities.

“As you know, the Government is leading an effort in trying to assist students across Jamaica. So, this is an effort by the StJMC and our finance committee, looking at ways of how we can help our students, and we looked at accessibility to the Internet and to instruments,” said Coke.

“Realising that accessibility to the Internet might be a challenge and might be difficult to maintain over a period of time, we saw that there must be some form of sustainability,” continued Coke. “Due to the economic challenges at this time, we cannot say that we would be able to do this initiative again next month or the month after; but as the need arises, we will assess what is happening across the parish and see how we can help.”

The initiative was held at a time when online learning has become necessary due to the COVID-19 pandemic, albeit that the Government has been reinstating face-to-face learning in some schools on a trial basis.