THE Sean Paul Foundation (SPF), in partnership with the Flow Foundation and the Sandals Foundation, on Tuesday brought added support to growing digital learning needs of vulnerable students in Jamaica with the donation of 100 computer tablets.

The foundations teamed up to distribute the Android tablets to primary school students across the island, increasing the total distributed to 200.

The foundation said the extensive distribution efforts were conducted in consultation with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information and has so benefited more than 22 schools in all 14 parishes.

“After the first round, I realised that so many more were in need, so with my partners at Flow Foundation and Sandals Foundation, we stepped up and gave away a 100 more tablets to deserving students,” explained Sean Paul.

With the increase in the number of COVID-19 cases comes the increase in distance learning practices. Up to 10 students from select schools received a new Samsung Tab A tablet complete with Flow SIM card and preloaded data for immediate Internet access. The Ministry of Education provided a tip sheet to help students and their teachers download and install the approved Google Classroom system for online learning.

“The Flow Foundation supported by the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation is extremely happy to continue our partnership with the Sean Paul Foundation by supplying the tablets distributed to needy students across the island, so they have access to online learning during the pandemic. These Samsung Wi-Fi and mobile Internet capable tablets come preloaded with 25 GB of data and an LTE SIM. There is a great need for tablets and laptops across Jamaica and we encourage other institutions and individuals to sponsor a child, so no one gets left behind,” said Dwight Williams, commercial director, mobile, at Flow.

Following the first-round distribution to 17 schools, an additional 15 schools received tablets in this second round. In Kingston and St Andrew, Constant Spring Primary and Junior High School received tablets. Jones Town Primary School in St Thomas also received tablets.

In Middlesex, schools benefiting included: Achievers Multi Resource Centre and York Town Primary in Clarendon; Albion Primary in Manchester; Lime Hall Primary and Clydesdale Primary in St Ann; and Jacks River Primary in St Mary.

In Cornwall, Geneva Primary in St Elizabeth; Mount Hannah Primary and Claremont Primary in Hanover; Dundee Primary in Westmoreland; Hastings Primary in Trelawny; and Glendevon Primary in St James received devices to better equip them in their distance learning classes.

Heidi Clarke, executive director of the Sandals Foundation, said: “Never before has there been more need for stakeholders to collaborate in an effort to lessen the digital divide within our education sector.”

As the philanthropic arm of Sandals Resorts International, Clarke said, “The foundation welcomed the opportunity to provide an avenue through which the company could meet an immediate need by continuing to serve students as they navigate this fast-evolving learning environment.”