The NCB Foundation has started distributing tablets to its 35 adopted primary schools, as part of its $50-million commitment to the ‘A Device for Every Child – Bridging the Digital Divide’ initiative, spearheaded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and supported by the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica.

More than 1,100 tablets have already been distributed, which represents approximately 50 per cent of the total number of devices that will be distributed to participants in its Stuart Reid Adopt-A-School programme.

On February 3, Foundation executives, Education Minister Fayval Williams and other key stakeholders gathered for the first handover of the project, 100 tablets donated to Constant Spring Primary and Junior High School. 

During the handover event, NCB Foundation CEO Nadeen Matthews Blair, shared “At the N.C.B. Foundation, we are committed to playing our part in accelerating the digital transformation of Jamaica by supporting the digital enablement and transformation of education.”

Matthews Blair added: “Digital technology provides us with an opportunity to leapfrog our emerging market status and to participate in the global economy in new and transformative ways. While we want our children to go back to school safely for their social development, let us not turn back on the digital development precipitated by the pandemic.

“The NCB Foundation pledges to continue the journey of empowering our students with the tools, the skills, and the mind-sets required to survive and thrive in the new normal and to create a world class digital Jamaica for the benefit of us all.”

 In addition to its $50-million commitment, the NCB Foundation also funded the development of the Connect A Child JA portal (https://connectachildja.com/) to facilitate additional donations and pledges for the cause.

“The ministry’s goal is to provide a total of 100,000 devices to children in need, therefore additional donations are needed from the private sector, fellow citizens and the diaspora to reach this worthwhile goal and support this matter of national interest,” said Matthews Blair.

“The portal allows persons to make a general donation or a donation to a specific school. We are encouraging persons to log on today to connectachildja.com to make a donation, no matter how small.”