The Jamaica Gleaner published an article on November 7, 2020, about the Government being $10m nearer to closing the digital divide. Here’s a summary:
- The Jamaican Government moved $10 million closer towards bridging the digital divide with a donation from the JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation to its ‘One Laptop or Tablet Per Child’ initiative.
- There was expressed delight of the opportunities this initiative will bring to ensure all children in Jamaica have a device in hand to continue to close the digital divide.
- The Government is seeking to provide an estimated 148,000 students on the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH) with devices. Minister of Education, Youth and Information, Fayval Williams explained that closing the digital divide is more than providing devices but includes connectivity, affordability and ensuring they have access to e-content.
- There is also a goal in ensuring that children are taught about cybersecurity, how to be safe in the online world. This goal is infused with the teaching and learning experience in and outside of the classroom. There are improved outcomes from the education sector. Doing this will have them become digitally literate and move them towards digital fluency enabling them to work at a higher level and competence and knowledge about the digital society when entering the workforce.
Source: jamaica-gleaner.com
Contributed by Racquel Bailey from Jamaica. Racquel is a member of our Women in InfoSec Caribbean (WISC) initiative on Discord. WISC is a non-profit initiative supporting Caribbean women and girls to develop a career in Information Security. Learn more about WISC at wiscaribbean.org.