Williams calls for more private sector support for education

Minister of Education and Youth Fayval Williams has hailed Couples Resorts’ contribution to the Three Hills Primary School in St Mary and is encouraging other entities to similarly support the education sector.

Williams was speaking at the official handover of a multi-purpose building with a state-of-the-art computer resource room at the school on Thursday, where she also reminded school boards of their role in helping to improve the academic performances of students.

Couples Resorts, through Couples Tower Isle, adopted Three Hills Primary several years ago, and so far has raised and spent over $12 million to support the school.

Furniture, desks, chairs, kitchen appliances, the building of washrooms, repaving the car park, installing a perimeter fence, and the construction of a state-of-the-art computer resource room - fitted with 10 new computers, office chairs, overhead projector- are among the list of contributions the hotel has made to the school.

“Although this fiscal year the government will spend in excess of $117B on education, we still welcome any contribution that we get into our schools; and we encourage that,” the education minister said.

“This generous donation is a welcome addition to the efforts of the Ministry of Education and Youth to get devices into the hands of our students. We have to keep our efforts going to reduce the digital divide among students within the school system,” she added.

MORE FOCUSED

And in lauding the board at Three Hills, Williams said boards should be focused on more than just physical improvement.

“As we begin to sensitise our boards more to let them know that they really ought to be focused, as well on the improvement in the school, not just the physical improvement, we’re talking about the academic improvement at the school, because every single school in Jamaica has a report from the National Education Inspectorate – they come in and they assess the school based on different variables, and you start there by saying, is my school ranked in the satisfactory category or the unsatisfactory, the good or the excellent? And if it is ranked unsatisfactory, it’s the members of the board that need to hold the principal to account to improve that school. And there is a process through which we do this,” Williams said.

She acknowledged the work of teachers across Jamaica, “for the work that you do to mould the minds of our students”.

The general manager at Couples Tower Isle, Wayne Williams, underlined the importance that the hotel attaches to its contributions.

“Couples Resorts don’t just take these things as donations or contributions, but as a responsibility as Jamaicans to our communities, to our country,” he said.

“It’s incumbent on us as Jamaicans and Jamaican companies to take the education and the advancement of our people as a part of our responsibility, our very survival depends on it,” Williams added.

He thanked other companies for working with Couples to help make it possible. These include National Commercial Bank, Digicel, Fraser Fontaine and Kong, Iron Rock Insurance, ICWI, VIP Attractions, and the Guardian Group.

Principal Slean Harris expressed delight at the support the school has received over the years.