Some 300 children from schools across island to benefit

The Union of Jamaican Alumni Associations (UJAA), out of New York has donated laptops and tablets valued at $11 million to benefit some 300 students from various schools across the island.

The donation represents the culmination of the first part of UJAA’s ‘Laptop-‘N-Tablet’ programme, which was initiated in support of the challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic has placed on the Jamaican educational system in relation to teaching and learning remotely.

This donation will advance the aid of students in navigating the online learning environment occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic.

UJAA President Lesleyann Samuel said the initiative started as early as July last year when the board of the Jamaican umbrella alumni group began looking at ways to assist Jamaican schools and students with computer devices to help them with remote learning.

Samuel noted the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information announcement of a plan to procure computer and laptop units through its e-learning division and highlighting that the plan had several changes in direction which would not see all students benefitting from computer devices.

As a result, many schools would still not have the units that were needed. Given this reality, the 61-member umbrella organisation began discussions and negotiations with the leading computer technology providers as well as conversations with member alumni association presidents who were having their own conversations with their principals. 

Birth of Laptop-‘N-Tablet programme

“With a commitment from several members and negotiations with Dell and Best Buy, the first order was placed, a benefit agreement was made with members and the Laptop-‘N-Tablet progamme was in place,” Samuel said.

Audrey Marks, Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States, congratulated the group on the donation, noting that “such a selfless act of giving back to their respective alma mater has not gone unnoticed”.

Said Marks: “This latest contribution of tablets and laptop computers going to the neediest will certainly deliver a critical shot in the arm for these students to be able to continue their education with minimal interruption from the pandemic.”

Speaking on behalf of the government, as well as the people of Jamaica, both those at home and in the diaspora, she thanked the group for providing a welcomed helping hand.

Jamaica’s chief envoy to Washington explained that “the contribution also means a lot in terms of boosting the effort by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and the Government’s own thrust to provide tablets so students would not miss out on their education.”

She commended the UJAA’s fundraising drives that include a major annual car raffle, the proceeds from which are divided among the various schools in Jamaica whose alumni are part of the UJAA.