JN Foundation donates tablets to rural school

Jennifer Gordon, principal of the school, said the educational institution was grateful for the 15 tablets presented.

“You have no idea how far these tablets are going to go,” she said thanking the JN Foundation for facilitating 15 more students who will be able to get online.

Gordon disclosed that earlier in the year, when the government moved to online learning as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of the students were left behind.

“Based on our evaluation since the start of the pandemic, we realised that we were not seeing most of our students,” she said. “In fact, we were only seeing about 25 per cent of the students; and we have 148 students enrolled.”

The school principal pointed out that many students are from very humble backgrounds and as such resources were a challenge. Therefore, in collaboration with the Woodford Community Action Group, (WCAG), it was decided that they would seek to get some tablets, which could be used on a rotation basis.

She stated that the tablets will be used along with learning kits. Therefore, while some students are pursing activities in their books, others would be using the tablets to do their online learning.

Onyka Barrett Scott, general manager at the JN Foundation, said that the organisation was happy to assist the school with these needed resources.

“At the JN Foundation, education is one of our top priority areas; hence, the request made by Woodford Primary School was one which we were happy to assist,” she said.

“It is our hope that the gift will make a great impact as the students are able to participate in online classes,” she added.

Cedric Pascoe, president of the WCAG, said that the rural school, which serves the communities of Maryland and Woodford, was in need of resources, hence the partnership with the school to assist in procuring the resources.”

“COVID-19 has changed the way education is being delivered; and as concerned citizens, who realise that tablets are now on the list of educational tools for students of Woodford Primary, and who also recognise the inability of many families to purchase these items, we now seek to assist Woodford Primary in accessing these important devices,” he said.

Pascoe said the committee will be forging other partnerships to seek other resources for the school.