Sixteen Schools Launch USF ICT Clubs

Sixteen high schools across Jamaica have launched Universal Service Fund (USF) Information and Communication Technology (ICT) clubs at their institutions.

They are Mona High, Clarendon College, Vauxhall High, Central High, Lacovia High, Old Harbour High, Port Antonio High, Wycliffe Martin High, Bustamante High, Belair High, Herbert Morrison Technical High, Green Pond High, York Castle High, Spot Valley High, Little London High, and Mount Alvernia High.

The club launch and pinning ceremony was held at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Assembly Hall on Friday (November 10).

In her remarks, Minister of Education and Youth, Hon. Fayval Williams, said the USF ICT clubs are fully endorsed by the Ministry.

She commended USF and their partners for their continued support of the clubs’ activities.

Mrs. Williams underscored that the club will provide an outlet for students to serve their communities as they develop ICT skills in coding, robotics, and machine learning among other areas.

Noting that the club will support the development of soft skills among students, Mrs. Williams said it also has the potential to build character, improve academic achievement and contribute to the technology talent that is needed in Jamaica and the Caribbean.

“We have been doing our part to ensure that you our students are equipped. I know, coming out of the pandemic, we came out with good adoption of technology. Now that we’re back in the face-to-face environment, I’m saying to the students and teachers that we still want to see that strong embrace of technology in the classrooms,” she stated.

USF Corporate Planner, Nepatra Bennett, shared that the initiative was formalised in September 2022, in response to the Fund’s desire to have greater engagement with Jamaicans at an early age.

“It is envisioned that through the club’s membership, students will be provided with the opportunity to access application of real-world scenarios in ICT, reinforcement of ICT concepts, promote ingenuity and develop soft skills such as leadership, critical thinking, teamwork and communication,” Ms. Bennett said.

She charged the new club members to become pioneers in the ICT sector’s advancement.

“Become the next programme developer, the next robotics engineer, networking analyst, web designer, and the list continues. Be an agent of change – a stalwart in the advancement of the Jamaican society,” Ms. Bennett stated.

The clubs are supported by the Ministry of Education and Youth, FLOW Jamaica, Digicel Jamaica, UWI Mona Department of Computing, the University of Technology Faculty of Engineering and Computing, eLearning Jamaica Company Limited, Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance, and eGov Jamaica Limited.

The USF is an agency of the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, mandated to ensure access to information and communication technology tools to facilitate development.