Williams unveils tablet programme for needy students

Romario Scott/Gleaner Writer

Education Minister Fayval Williams has outlined a programme for needy students not on state welfare to receive electronic devices for virtual learning.

The own your device incentive programme seeks to benefit an estimated 36,000 needy students in primary and secondary schools across the island.
 
According to the minister, parents or guardians can log on to oyod.educate.gov.jm to submit an application. 
 
Williams said the application window will open on November 17, 2020 and close on December 4.
 
The distribution of the tablets will begin on November 17. 
 
Williams said students will be verified with the National Student Registration System and parents and guardians will be verified by way of Tax Administration Jamaica’s database.
 
Manual application can be filed as well through the Office of the Member of Parliament.
 
In Parliament Tuesday, East Kingston and Port Royal MP Phillip Paulwell questioned whether the Government would provide a subsidised Internet package for the tablets.
 
“Without that, you are giving youngster devices that they are going to be playing games with. If you are not able to connect to the Intenet, it’s really going to go to waste,” Paulwell argued. 
 
But Williams reminded Paulwell that for over a decade he was in charge of the science and technology portfolio.
 
“Having sat in the chair of the Ministry of Science, Energy and Technology for as many years as you did, I am sure now in 2020, looking back,  you probably wish you had accelerated Internet connectivity,” Williams said to loud applause from her government colleagues. 
 
“The Ministry of Education has stepped forward to bear the cost of student and teachers logging on the learning management system. There should be no cost to the student or the teacher once they access the Google suite learning management system,” the minister stated.  

Meanwhile, Williams is reporting that it was a smooth start for 15 of the 17 schools selected for the face-to-face learning pilot programme.

Two of the schools the programme — Yallahs High in St Thomas and Moore Town Primary and Junior High in Portland — were not prepared to open Tuesday. 
 
Speaking in Parliament Tuesday, Education Minister Fayval Williams said going forward, the schools on the pilot programme will have a staggered resumption with different year groups reporting on different days. 
 
“The high schools and a few of the primary schools will utilise the rotational approach guided by the blended learning model,” the minister said, declaring that  psychosocial sessions have commenced for the students.

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