CPFSA gets 200 tablets for children in State care

Approximately 200 tablets were presented to the Child Protection and Family Services Agency (CPFSA) by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information for children in State care.

The devices were handed over by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Robert Nesta Morgan to CEO of CPFSA, Rosalee Gage Grey, at a ceremony on Tuesday at the agency’s Duke Street office in Kingston.

Also in attendance were Director Donor and Partnership Management, National Education Trust, Latoya Harris; Senior Director for Children's Affairs in the Ministry's Youth and Adolescent Policy Division, Hyacinth Blair; CPFSA staff and children in State care.

Speaking at the handover ceremony, Morgan said that the 200 devices provided to CPFSA for children in State care are in keeping with the Ministry’s ‘One Laptop or Tablet Per Child Initiative’, designed to promote inclusivity in the education sector.

“It is the priority of the government to ensure that children in state care are provided devices to be fully engaged in online learning. This is part of our commitment to meeting the educational needs of our most vulnerable in preparation for future success, as no child should be left behind,” he said.

He said that the government has been providing tablets and laptops for an estimated 148, 000 students on the PATH, but there is an additional 100, 000 non-Path students, who are still without devices and are unable to participate in digital learning.

Morgan used the opportunity to encourage other public and private organisations to support the initiative by assisting with the provision of appropriate devices for needy students.

Gage Grey expressed gratitude to the Ministry for providing the tablets for children in State, which she said will significantly help to facilitate their virtual learning experience.

“The CPFSA with support from the Ministry pledges our full commitment to helping our children in State care rise above their circumstances and become nation builders. As we navigate through this pandemic, we want you to know that we will continue to work in your best interest to provide quality services to improve your lives while in State care,” she said.

The tablets will be distributed to children at 35 residential child care facilities islandwide.

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