Nearly two years after a fire severely damaged two Information Communication Technology (ICT) laboratories at Bustamante High School, the Clarendon-based institution is the beneficiary of modern facilities through public-private collaboration.
The restoration and expansion project was done at a cost of $20 million by the Universal Service Fund (USF) in partnership with e-Learning Jamaica Company (e-LJam) Limited, the Flow Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information.
It involved infrastructure repairs, provision of upgraded equipment and enhanced learning tools designed to strengthen digital literacy, youth empowerment, and provide equitable access to technology.
As the lead implementing agency, the USF undertook the renovation of the labs, provided funding and overall project management, and deployed ICT resources, including connectivity devices.
The Flow Foundation contributed desks to accommodate 93 students and teachers, while e-LJam outfitted the labs with almost 100 laptops, three smart boards, and classroom chairs, ensuring that the spaces are fully equipped for modern teaching and learning.
Chief Executive Officer of the USF, Charlton McFarlane, in a message read by Corporate Planner, Nepatra Bennett, during Thursday’s (Jan. 15) official handover of the facilities, said that the project is in keeping with the agency’s mandate to promote the use of technology for economic and social development.
“It is what drives our broader mission to ensure that all Jamaicans, especially our young people, can access the tools and connectivity needed to participate fully in national development. Through collaboration with the Flow Foundation and e-Learing Jamaica, we committed to restoring and enhancing these facilities not simply to replace what was lost, but to build back stronger and smarter. The renovation of these computer labs …represents an investment in human potential,” he said.
Chief Executive Officer of e-LJam, Andrew Lee, said that the technology provided will advance the teaching and learning processes at the institution.
“We are trying to build a technology-based economy and a technology-based country, and this is the foundation. Having the technology within our schools enables us to move towards that knowledge-based country,” he pointed out.
Principal of Bustamante High School, Wayne Evans, told JIS News that the entire school community is grateful for the investment, which he noted will improve learning outcomes.
“The donation will really set us forward in terms of our IT-related subjects. It is a boost for those areas as well as in terms of facilitating content for different subject areas. Having these labs will deliver subjects in a way that is more interactive across all subject areas,” he added.
