Eleven early childhood institutions (ECIs) across the island have received multifunction printers, ink cartridges and paper donated by the CHASE Fund. The printers will enable schools to provide printed work as directed by the Ministry of Education, for distribution to children who do not have access to online materials during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Principal of the Bonnett Primary and Infant School in St. Catherine, Michelle Buchanan-Simms, said the teachers at the school were happy with the equipment. “Some parents cannot afford the data and with limited connectivity the students cannot stay on for the duration of the class. “We will be able to print and give the parents the outlines and the students will receive printed material to supplement online instruction,” she said.
Rita Thomas, a senior teacher at Marverley Primary and Infant School in Kingston, expressed delight that paper was included in the donation of the printer.
Project Manager at the CHASE Fund, Latoya Aquart-Foster, advised that the 11 beneficiary schools were chosen in consultation with the Early Childhood Commission and include the Marverley Primary and Infant in Kingston; Amity Hall Primary and Infant in St. Thomas; Village Primary and Infant in St. Ann; Clarence Brimm Basic in Trelawny; Somerton Primary and Infant in St. James; Friendship Primary and Infant and Camp Savannah ECI in Westmoreland; Harmon’s Primary and Infant and Campbell’s Castle Primary and Infant in Manchester; Bonnett Primary and Infant in St. Catherine and Seven Ground ECI in Clarendon.
“Equipping ECIs with a printer that is able to copy, scan, fax and print and the necessary materials will impact greatly the operations of each school and directly the students who have been falling behind due to lack of resources,” she said.
The supply of printers is an expansion to the Fund’s installation of 80 SMART boards in 29 schools over a two-year period under its Technology Enhancement Programme.
Twenty per cent of all CHASE Fund resources goes towards support of the early childhood sector. To date the Fund has spent $5.5B in the early childhood sector since 2003, building, upgrading and equipping schools and resource centres; supporting the development of early childhood materials; and providing scholarships for specialist training in Early Childhood Education among other initiatives.
CHASE Fund Project Officer, Shannon Guthrie, highlights the scanning, printing, faxing and copying capability of the multifunction printer to Rita Thomas, senior teacher at the Marverly Primary and Infant School during the presentation of the printer and accessories to the school on February 12, 2021 at the CHASE Fund office in Kingston.
CHASE Project Manager, Latoya Aquart-Foster, (left) points out features of the multifunction printer to (L-R) Shannon Guthrie, Project Officer, CHASE Fund; Michelle Buchanan-Simms, Principal, Bonnett Primary and Infant School; and Rita Thomas, senior teacher, Marverly Primary and Infant School during a presentation of the equipment on February 12, 2021 at the CHASE Fund offices in Kingston.
