Partnership bringing digital education across Jamaica

Durrant Pate/Contributor

Digital education provider, EduFocal Limited has entered into an exclusive digital partnership with the Jamaica Library Service (JLS), as part of its ongoing corporate social responsibility efforts at bringing digital learning to Jamaicans at all levels of their development.

This partnership between EduFocal and the JLS is intended to expand the offerings for access to digital learning in a safe space for communities and students. The JLS will provide the physical space for the students to attend virtual classes accessed through the EduFocal Academy virtual school and other supplementary learning programmes.

This exclusive digital partnership will continue EduFocal’s legacy of bringing digital education across Jamaica, while acknowledging that some learners require physical hands-on support, which the JLS can provide through its free accessibility to computers and the internet in public and school libraries islandwide.

Access to EduFocal Academy

Through this initiative, students will not only have access to EduFocal Academy, but also to an EduFocal representative at their public or school library. These specially trained representatives will give one-on-one attention to students to help to break down course material and provide technical support.

The landscape of education has seen tremendous changes in recent times such as limited access to education for many students. In recent times, there has been a myriad of reports of shortages of teachers/trainers worldwide in physical educational locations and forecasts are that the situation will continue to be exacerbated.

This emphasizes the need for sustainable digital education to support Jamaican students in the teaching and learning process, without eliminating face-to-face interaction. As such, EduFocal intends to play its part in planning for the education of the nation’s youth and working to counteract the limitation of accessibility to efficient educational programmes and initiatives, internet connectivity and provision of hybrid learning for students.

The JLS plays a critical role in providing opportunities for educational and professional development to Jamaicans across the island. The JLS network consists of 111 public libraries, 334 mobile library stops and 898 school libraries across 13 parishes.

EduFocal investing JLS libraries across the island

However, due to inadequate resources, some of these facilities require retrofitting as existing aesthetics may not aid in stimulating learning. Therefore, this partnership will see EduFocal investing in the infrastructural development of libraries across the island.

Students will have the opportunity to learn in comfortable, fully equipped public and school libraries. JLS Director General Maureen Thompson was excited at the partnership, emphasizing that the library service is cognizant of the diverse information needs of the 21st Century learner.

With this in mind, she states that “the JLS continues to retool and reposition public libraries as focal points for information access and community engagement”.

For his part, EduFocal CEO Gordon Swaby indicates: “I’m a firm believer in a hybrid learning approach. Despite the need for digital learning, there are and will continue to be a lot of children who simply won’t learn that way. I believe it is important to create an environment that gives them the support they need to excel.”

Continuing, Swaby said: “The JLS and EduFocal share a similar vision, so this partnership is exciting for me. With greater resources, our libraries could go a long way in transforming our people and workforce. It is easy to say, ‘The government should!’ but I believe the private sector CAN, and that’s why EduFocal is partnering with our libraries. We will be providing training and development to Jamaicans of all ages through this exclusive partnership.”