Students to benefit from back-to-school initiative

Scores of students are set to benefit from a security ministry initiative to collect and distribute school supplies to local communities across several parishes. The US-based Jamaica Diaspora Taskforce Action Network (JDTAN) has now partnered with the project.

“JDTAN and partners will now support the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Branch of the Ministry of National Security’s back-to-school initiative to provide basic school supplies to students from 20 schools. The need is heaviest for infant- and primary-school students in communities in Clarendon, St James, Kingston, St Andrew, and Westmoreland,” JDTAN said in a release.

Renée Steele, senior policy director of the Crime Prevention and Community Safety Branch at the Ministry of National Security, emphasised the need, stating: “The impact of the pandemic has compounded socio-economic stressors that face our most vulnerable families, which is expected to worsen with the demands associated with the back-to-school season.”

JDTAN encouraged persons to visit the network’s website — www.jdtan.org — to support the drive. The cost to sponsor the supplies for each student is approximately US$25.

Each child’s backpack will be filled with essential supplies, including a cloth mask, sanitiser, a pencil case, crayons or pencil crayons, softcover and hardcover exercise books, and a water bottle.

JDTAN noted: “Supplies will be shipped to Jamaica at no additional cost, thanks to Dennis Shipping Jamaica Limited. The Community Service and Development department of the University of Technology and the Ministry of National Security will clear, assemble, and distribute the school supplies.”