Basic Schools In Clarendon Receive Computers

Basic school children in Southwest Clarendon are to benefit from 10 computers donated by JAMALCo, the bauxite and alumina company in the parish.

The computers were handed over recently at a ceremony held at the Clarendon Early Childhood Resource Centre in Four Paths.

This donation is being complemented by a training programme launched this week, under which basic school teachers will be trained to use the computers in the classroom.

Five of the computers will be used at the resource centre in the training programme.

Two computers have been assigned to the Gospel Assembly Basic School in Denbigh; two at the Annunciation Basic School in Hayes, and one at the Tollgate All-age and Infant School.

Addressing the handing over ceremony, Blossom Laidlaw, Public Relations and Communication Manager at JAMALCo, explained that the project had materialized through a partnership between the Ministry of Education, Youth and Culture, and two departments at JAMALCo.

“The computer is an adventure,” Mrs. Laidlaw said, and urged the teachers to be willing to learn and transfer their computer knowledge to students who had the ability to compete with their peers abroad. Lloyd McLeod, Senior Education Officer, congratulated JAMALCo for its consistent generosity, and for its willingness to partner with the Ministry to promote literacy.

He said the computer was a powerful tool, which allowed students to explore and experiment with programmes through trial and error, adding that the computer would provide interaction and exposure to different concepts.

Education Officer for the Early Childhood Unit, Dorna Wright, said that with the level of training taking place in the region for teachers, the students would benefit greatly.