Government of Jamaica (GOJ) to provide additional 36-thousand students with laptops/tablets for School – Education Minister Fayval Williams says the government will be providing some 36-thousand students with 20-thousand dollars to assist with the purchasing of electronic devices.
Students will be returning to school online on October 5 and there is one crucial item on everyone’s book list to be present in this virtual classroom, a laptop or tablet.
The minister made the announcement during the first official sitting of the House of Representatives for the new parliamentary term on Tuesday, September 29.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has announced a 20-thousand dollar voucher for students who are not on the path programme to assist with the purchasing of electronic devices, such as a tablet or computer for back to school.
The government had announced that students who are on the path programme will receive an electronic device, with priority given to grades four to six and ten to 13,
Leaving some parents to wonder what will happen to their child. That distribution is scheduled to begin on October 2.
Now, Minister of Education, Fayval Williams says the government will be providing a one-time payment of 20-thousand dollars to the more than thirty-six (36) thousand students who are not on the path.
Opposition Spokeswoman on Education, Angela Brown Burke commended the government for the initiatives.
But Spokesman on Technology, Julian Robinson is urging the government to consider suspending GCT on the importation of electronic devices during this time, one which Prime Minister Andrew Holness has rejected.
But the Education Minister says more than 193-thousand students have signed on to the online learning platform, Google-suite already.
Additionally, she says learning content will be broadcast on two major TV stations as well as radio. For households that have neither, the Ministry says a two-week curriculum document will be printed and given to students to continue the learning process.
