500,000 set to benefit from free Microsoft software
Published:Wednesday | February 15, 2023 | 1:25 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
More than two years after announcing plans to roll out Microsoft Office 365 free of cost, Education Minister Fayval Williams on Tuesday officially launched the campaign for software that could benefit half a million Jamaicans.
The US$15-million (J$2.3-billion) investment will see the Government pumping $52 million, reportedly at a heavy discount, annually to allow access.
The launch is a significant step in the implementation of the Ministry of Education and Youth's Technology in Education Policy.
Microsoft 365 is a collection of Microsoft productivity tools and includes Word, Excel, and PowerPoint which will easily store notes, e-papers, and essays that will be retrievable at the touch of a button.
“You don't have to bootleg anything anymore. You have a proper version of Excel, Word, Teams, and all of that at your disposal that you can use and you don't have to worry about the cost of all of this,” Williams said during an address at Excelsior High School in Kingston.
“We want you to become digital citizens and teach your parents, teach the adults in your home to get them on to the system, because in very short order, way more Government services will be available online ... .”
Already, 215,438 emails have already been sent to students and educators at their moeschools.edu.jm email accounts for access to Microsoft Office 365.
Students and educators can access the free Microsoft 365 Suite through their MoEY emails and activate the licences as soon as they receive subscription notifications.
Williams said the technology access would prepare students for the world of work, refining skills that would make them competent and competitive.
“Today's knowledge-based, technology-driven world demands that our education system leverage information and communications technology (ICT) to equip citizens with literacy, numeracy, and ICT skills,” Williams said.
“We believe that by improving access to technology and technological devices, we will create a level playing field for all of our students, allowing them to see the endless possibilities that exist for careers in STEM.”
Tyrone Anderson, of the education ministry's ICT Division, said the most beneficial aspect of the software will be the cloud storage component.
“That storage space offers up to one terabyte of storage,” he explained.
Anderson believes the offering will transform teaching and leadership patterns in schools.
“Students and teachers, they can conduct meetings and live classes online with a blended approach. They can take their notes, organise and share their projects, as well as collaborate with their peers on those assignments. They can access their content from any device, anywhere in the world, as long as they have Internet connectivity,” he said.
Students with issues accessing their free accounts can email the MoEY at tech.support@moeyi.gov.jm.