Special-needs students get reason to smile

Alex Sanchez was smiling more than usual as he sat among his peers at the Promise Learning and Training Centre in St Andrew last Tuesday morning.

The reason? The young primary school student had just won his very own tablet, courtesy of the Universal Service Fund.

The government agency’s CEO, Suzette Buchanan, presented Sanchez with his device following her interactive and informative reading session with the youngster and his classmates. The activity at the school, which caters to children with special needs, was part of the agency’s Read Across Jamaica Day celebrations.

It was a reading session with a twist — rather than read from a traditional storybook, Buchanan, who leads the agency that is charged with ensuring all Jamaicans have access to information communications technology, chose to read from a tablet.

STUDENTS ENGAGED

The students were thrilled with her presentation, not only because of her engaging reading style, but the interactive nature of the technology being used.

“Developing a passion for reading can help students set a solid foundation for success. Unfortunately, many young people don’t think reading is a fun activity. However, with the right subject matter, and now through technology, reading can be both fun and educational,” Buchanan said.

The Universal Service Fund’s support for the institution goes beyond Tuesday’s reading session, as the agency is also donating a desktop computer to the school to further enhance its offerings.

CONTRIBUTED Allman Town Primary in Kingston now uses board games to teach kids about Jamaican culture.

CONTRIBUTED Alex Sanchez, a student at the Promise Learning Centre, is absolutely thrilled to be presented with his prize of a Samsung tablet by CEO of the Universal Service Fund, Suzette Buchanan.