J$2.1M has been donated to the Holy Trinity High School by PwC Jamaica as it reaffirms its commitment to education and community development. The donation was aimed at enhancing the institution’s Academic Intervention Programme (AIP).

The donation, covered the beautification of the enrichment centre (where the AIP is held), a new air conditioning unit, and eight desktop computers.

According to Gail Moore, partner and environment lead at PwC Jamaica, access to the right resources is crucial for the development of our schools, students, and the nation.

“The right resources are essential in achieving any goal, whether that is completing a task or a project or in this case improving the literacy levels of the students at Holy Trinity High. From the outset we recognised the importance of the Academic Intervention Programme and its success to date. We also noted that for the programme to perform optimally, the enrichment centre, where the programme is being facilitated, would require needed upgrades; the main one being access to computers. Last year, we donated seven desktop units, 30 tablets and 100 software access keys, and this year we added an additional eight desktop computers,” she said.

“I am thankful to my colleagues who continue to see a need and meet it; to ensure that the programme meets its target of 25 computers. I am also thankful to Father Clarke and the staff at Holy Trinity High for continuing to pour into these children despite the limited resources at their disposal. We look forward to the continued success of this initiative,” Moore added.

At Holy Trinity, the AIP aims to promote an appreciation for reading and writing while counteracting the declining quality of education caused by low levels of literacy among students. In its current format, the AIP offers specialised attention to students who are reading below their grade level through a tailored programme and dedicated staff.

During the handover ceremony on April 27, Father Carl F. Clarke, principal of Holy Trinity High School highlighted the impact of the AIP on their grade 9 cohort. He noted that as of February 2023 of the 24 grade 9 students in the programme, who mostly started out reading at the pre-primer and grade 1 levels, the results now show the following:

• one student reading at the grade 5 level

• two students reading at the grade 4 level

• eight students reading at the grade 3 level

• two students reading at the grade 2 level

• five students reading at the grade 1 level

• two students remaining at the pre-primer level.

Two students were sadly unavailable for testing.

Although these are achievements to be celebrated, Father Clarke noted that it’s not enough. “Sometimes as we work with students it’s important to know where they are. The strategies that we’re using may not be sufficient because there may be other factors, situations, or conditions that we are ill equipped to assist with,” he said.

To this end, the Holy Trinity High School has engaged The MICO University College for diagnostic testing for 50 students, to begin with, to see what additional interventions may be required.

Nevertheless, Father Clarke acknowledged that despite the many challenges they may face, their relentless pursuit of success for the AIP remains bolstered by PwC Jamaica’s continuous support of the school.

“To begin, I want to say thanks to PwC. Thank you, PwC, for partnering with us. You came in 2020 Christmas, and we said at the time we trust that this would not be a one-off experience, but it would be a relationship for life. Well… we don’t know about the life business, but certainly you’ve come, you’ve come, and you’ve come again. And we’re so grateful for that. For expressing your confidence and belief in us. We’re so happy that you’re leading the way for various persons in corporate Jamaica in adopting, being, with schools like us. We are indeed very grateful for that,” stated Father Clarke.

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