Westmoreland teacher gets help for Georges Plain Primary students
GEORGES PLAIN, Westmoreland — Melecia Samuels, a grade three teacher at the Georges Plain Primary School in Westmoreland, has been leading the charge to get assistance for students at her school since the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic.
“During school, I always have to give children money for lunch,” Samuels shared with the Jamaica Observer West.
“So they being at home, I know they are going to eat more than they eat at school. And sometimes I hear parents complain that they want school to reopen because the students are eating too much and they don’t have it to give them. So I sat down one day and said to myself, ‘it’s true, because I have a son here who eats around the clock, so what about the other persons who can’t afford it?’”
Samuels stated that most importantly the school was facing a challenge where many of their students were unable to log on to their online classes, because they had no devices.
“I am usually afraid to beg,” she stated. “I don’t beg for myself. But for my students I’m going to throw away my pride, so I posted on my status, and I called persons who are ‘up there’ in society.”
Samuels stated that Andrew Bedward, owner of The Professionals, an automotive care garage that has been operating from their location across the road from the school for 15 years, is so far the only business owner who has rallied at the call.
“He is a small business owner and he did not give an excuse,” Samuels stated. “He told me he had no money at the time but I should check him back. The next day he called and told me he has three phones.”
She added that Bedward has been a continuous donor to the school, noting that he has sponsored events, and assisted various students over the years with lunch money or bus fare.
“Education is vital, it is the only thing that can uplift poor persons,” Bedward stressed.
“You help to build a better community when you assist children. The long and short of it, within a few years, we ourselves would be beneficiaries, and it’s just about doing good.”
The phones were distributed to one student in grade three, one in grade five, who will be sitting Primary Exit Profile (PEP), and another student whose house was recently burnt down.
Samuels stated that in addition to the phones, she has distributed care packages to the parents of several needy students.
“You could see it on their faces that they were so elated. I’m saying that it doesn’t have to be big, start from somewhere, you can assist even your neighbour, give them a pound of rice, a pack of salt... Each one reach one,” she urged.
“I’m still begging and asking persons who can donate tablets and phones, used or new, that can be given to the children of Georges Plain Primary, because we as teachers, we really try with these students.”
“Their parents try with them too, but because of the COVID-19 pandemic most of them lost their jobs. So they really don’t have any money to purchase these devices. So I’m asking persons out there who can contribute, please do what you can. If it’s foodstuff it doesn’t matter, anything, even a pack of biscuit, it can go a far way, so let’s just assist somehow.”