We are lagging behind - Williams
FAYVAL WILLIAMS, minister of education, youth and information, says Jamaican students are behind when compared to other children globally, noting that the time has come for this to be accepted and necessary actions taken to fix this problem.
“We are doing many things in the education sector. We recognise that we are behind when you compare us globally as to where our children are in their learning. We know when they compare the number of days or years that children in Jamaica go to school, and then what it is that they learn and when they exit school, we are behind, and that’s just the truth about where we are,” Williams stated.
She added, “So the first thing is to accept that truth, then to take the necessary actions.”
Williams was speaking at the official handover ceremony for a Huawei Jamaica IdeaHub interactive device at Pembroke Hall Primary School in St Andrew on Thursday.
She also said getting it right in education will help Jamaicans to get it right in many other sectors in the economy, and we will then see the fruits of that.
The IdeaHub, which was handed over by Huawei Jamaica, is a productivity tool and interactive panel with a 4K soft light screen and smart board designed for collaboration and creation. It replaces chalkboard and white boards and is described as a space where fresh thinking and new ideas can be brought to life.
It is the first of its kind being donated by Huawei in Jamaica, and one goal of this donation is to better assist and motivate underperforming students to better understand the power of technology.
The state-of-the-art hub offers intelligent collaboration with features such as intelligent writing, video-conferencing, interactive blackboarding and wireless sharing.
Williams emphasised that it is perfect for the delivery of online or remote classes.
“We at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information are keen on bringing more technology into classrooms and exposing our students to developments through digital space,” she said.
Williams noted that more of this technology in online or physical classes, will assist with the development of Jamaica’s future human capital.
“We are a small economy; an open economy. We haven’t yet discovered oil or gold or any of those precious commodities, but what we do have in Jamaica are our people. They are our most significant asset and we have to develop them, beginning with our children in our schools,” she said.
For his part, Bo Zhou, CEO of Huawei Jamaica, said they decided to make the donation because his company wants to support the development of technology in Jamaica.
SUPPORT THE EDUCATION
“We really want to support the education here and how to transfer our ICT technology to local students. That is why we are here today... We hope that this kind of support here, could really help our kids here, to let them know more about the technology... and help with local talent,” Zhou said.
Nigel Clarke, member of parliament for St Andrew North Western, the division in which the school falls, said the gift was greatly appreciated as digital engagement through digital means is a very important part of the world we live in today.
“And we need our students right here between ages 11 and 18 to gain exposure from here, to learn and be inspired for the future,” he said.
“It will enable the students here at Pembroke Hall High School to be better equipped to the world that they will face. It will allow them to attain levels of human capital that before this would not have been possible,” he added.
Claude Ellis, principal of Pembroke Hall High School, said this will help with the offerings of the technology-rich resource room for students.
“This gift demonstrates that there is faith and belief in what it is we are doing here at this institution, and I can guarantee you that this gift will be cared for,” he said.