NAWAKA SCHOOL RECEIVES LATEST TEACHING SCREENS
Nawaka District School in Nadi became the first school in the South Pacific to be equipped with ActivPaneliSeries interactive screens, putting them on par with leading schools worldwide.
It has been described as the most up to date teaching technology available anywhere around the world.
Worth over $20,000, the donation of the equipment came about through the friendship of New Zealand pharmacist Wallace Bain who started the Nawaka Educational Charitable Trust, and Global education technology company, Promethean, who gifted the equipment.
The equipment has three sets of a 65 inch interactive screen and laptops which are all connected to the internet.
Mr Bain said yesterday they would be more equipment coming for the school.
“It is just a delight to be able to see the happiness on the face of the children.
“The Fijians are beautiful people and we New Zealanders love the people, so it is great to be part of this learning experience for the children of Nawaka.
“There is more to come for the children.”
Mr Bain said the Trust was formed by some New Zealand pharmacists who contribute financially towards the education at the school. “We rather bring the money direct to the school rather than through some organisations who usually take a cut and the beneficiaries do not receive the full donation.”
The i-Series ActivPanels is used in front of the class to improve student interaction and engagement. Supplied with Prometheans interactive teaching software, ClassFlow Desktop, teachers and students will benefit from a modern day classroom experience.
Alistair Haywood, Promethean’s Head of United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand marketing, said he was happy the school would now become more competitive with more developed nations. “We hope this school will be the leading centre of excellence in the region.
“This programme will provide excellent learning for Fijians and the possibilities are infinite.” Mr Haywood said the technology was far better than the ordinary blackboards in that interactions by students could be captured and sent to individual students at home through the internet. He added that Promethean would send a teacher, Claire Barber from New Zealand to work with the teachers and see how best the programmes could be fitted in with the Ministry of Education’s curriculum.
“This school is getting the most up to date technology available anywhere in the world.
“The UK is already using this and the US is starting to adopt this.” Nawaka District School head teacher Heten Kumar said they were over the moon that his school was the first in Fiji and the South Pacific to receive the ActivPaneliSeries.
“We are indeed fortunate and already this has created a lot of interest amongst the children here today. “This teaching method has created a new interest in learning and I am sure this will certainly take our children to a new level,” Mr Kumar said.
“It is a helping aid for the teacher and it is a new mode of learning for the children.”
“Basically it is the same as we teach using a blackboard but this method will certainly lift the interest of learning of the children.” Sainiana Masuka, a class seven student was all smiles and said she was happy that they were being given such modern equipment.
“I am happy that we will learn something new.”
Aseri Ua, also a class seven student said this new teaching aid will help them learn more.
“We are so excited to receive this equipment,” she said. Lusiana Vudiwaqa, 12, also expressed her excitement saying the students of her school were lucky to receive the equipment.