Digital Champions Being Created at Harbour View Primary School

Students at Harbour View Primary School in St. Andrew are on their way to becoming champions of the digital world.

This, according to Chair of the Digicel Foundation, Jean Lowrie-Chin, who led the handover of a state-of-the-art Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Smart Room at the school, on Tuesday (April 4).

The room, which was constructed and outfitted by the Foundation, is equipped with 12 laptop and 12 tablet computers, accompanying headsets and an interactive smart screen.

According to Mrs. Lowrie-Chin, the initiative is one that amplifies the institution’s motto, ‘Learning is Living’.

“Through [this initiative] we are helping to bridge the digital divide,” she said, noting that equal access to “fast and reliable Internet connectivity in a safe space” is crucial for students to maximise the opportunities of the digital age.

Mrs. Lowrie-Chin pointed out that “investment in improving human capital is what we are primarily focused on at our Foundation”.

“I look forward to the success stories that will emerge from this smart room as the students avail themselves of the equipment and resources. This smart room will make you champions in the digital world,” she added.

Mrs. Lowrie-Chin encouraged the youngsters to “have fun… as you enter a world of great adventure”.

“Soon you will be honing and understanding the basics of robotics, then you can navigate and dominate the digital stadium. Your families and teachers will cheer you on as you raise the trophy of digital domination,” the Chair further told the students.

Mrs. Lowrie-Chin also applauded collaborators on the project, including the Ministry of Education and Youth. and Coldax Mart Limited.

For his part, the school’s Acting Principal, Damion Hurst, said the occasion was an important one in the institution’s life and history.

“Using this lab will be a unique but fundamental push for learning here at Harbour View Primary School, and I believe that each one of our grades, from one to six, will benefit from this new, enriched and fully improved state-of-the-art room,” he said.

Mr. Hurst indicated that the aim of the venture is to “familiarise learners with computers, giving learners access to information about the world and encouraging learners to read and write through the use of technology”.

The school leader also gave an undertaking to ensure the requisite operation/maintenance of the room, as outlined by the Digicel Foundation.

Meanwhile, the Foundation’s Construction Project Manager, Carnell Campbell, provided additional details on the smart room.

“Each device has a headset that is associated with it, [which] enables collaboration within the space without disturbing another person,” he informed.

Mr. Campbell explained that the smart screen “allows for fully functioning integration among all the devices within the space, and outside of the space”.

The room’s construction was spearheaded by the Digicel Foundation, with high-speed Internet connectivity provided by Digicel Plus.

This is the fourth of 10 smart rooms to be built across rural Jamaica by the Foundation.

Harbour View Primary School was established in 1963 and mainly serves the St. Andrew East Rural community after which it was named.