Rollington Town Primary School gets computers

CROSSING INTERNATIONAL borders from the shores of Canada on to Jamaican soil, 57 computers have found a new home at the Rollington Town Primary School in Kingston.

The project, which is a collaborative effort between The Globe and Mail in Toronto, Canada, and the Jamaica National Building Society Foundation, will benefit more than 900 students who are currently enrolled at the primary school.

The move, spearheaded by publisher of The Globe and Mail, Phillip Crawley, is an effort to advance and promote educational achievements among Jamaican students by providing them with increased access to technology.

At the official handover ceremony, the cadre of local dignitaries, government ministers and guests reflected the magnitude of this act of benevolence on the students and school and, by extension, the local education system. With a sense of anticipation, students were ushered to seats, assembling along their classroom corridors and under tents to participate in the event.

Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica Robert Ready, representing The Globe and Mail, officially handed over the computers to the school.

Principal's gratitude

Elated about the school's endowment, the principal, Dr Margaret Bailey, expressed her gratitude to The Globe and Mail for its continued support and commitment over the years to the educational advancement of students at the institution.

"I am grateful for this donation and the partnership the school has maintained with The Globe and Mail. Since the formal inception of our partnership in 2001, the school has benefited from gifts of books, furniture, sewing machines and computers."

This donation is comprised of 36 desktop computers and 21 laptops will assist the school to achieve one of its targets - that of furnishing each classroom with a computer; and the computer lab will also be expanded.