THE Digicel Foundation has made a concerted effort to assist in aiding and developing Jamaica’s education system. Since its inception in 2004, the Digicel Foundation has actively been seeking ways to assist in achieving one of the country’s national goals — 100 per cent literacy by 2015.

The Digicel Foundation hosted a Media Breakfast at the Courtleigh Hotel, New Kingston yesterday where it outlined its efforts to fund and provide equipment — more notably computers for education centres across the country. To this end it has recently formed a partnership with the Camara Jamaica Foundation (CJF). The CJF accumulates unwanted computers, refurbishes and updates these machines for ‘resale’ at a minimal cost.

Speaking at the Media Breakfast yesterday, Chairperson of the Digicel Foundation, Lisa Lewis said: “The Digicel Foundation has committed a total of US$200,000 for the purchase of over 1,000 computers and laptops from the Camara Jamaica Foundation. These machines will be distributed to various training and literacy support centres over the course of two years.”

Lewis went on to add that the Foundation that she heads will also be supporting the Jamaica Foundation for Lifelong Learning (JFLL), and has purchased 237 PCs and 40 laptops from the CJF for instalment in JFLL’s 30 adult education centres across the country.

“The Digicel Foundation’s steadfast commitment to improving literacy in Jamaica is evidenced by our continued efforts at enhancing our joint Enrichment Centre Programme with the Ministry of Education.

“The Foundation also recognises the persistent need to provide communities islandwide with the necessary interactive information communication technologies.

“Therefore, in addition to supporting the admirable work of the JFLL, Digicel Foundation will also be providing a number of educational institutions with PCs and laptops. Having adequate computer skills and basic proficiency in programs like Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint are tools everybody need to work effectively and efficiently in the corporate world. We aim to work collaboratively with other organisations to promote and facilitate education and literacy across Jamaica.

“The Ministry of Education is our key strategic partner. By December 2011, our Foundation will have 26 admission centres across Jamaica. Many of the schools that were given to us were underachieving with less than 60 per cent at the reading level and some were achieving just 30 and 40 per cent at the numeracy level. We are hoping to bring those schools up to a 100 per cent in both literacy and numeracy by 2015.”

The CEO of JFLL, Dr Allison Cross said that her organisation is in full support of Vision 2030 and its national goals. She declared that Jamaicans must be encouraged to achieve their fullest potential and that the society must be safe, cohesive and just with a prosperous economy, but this can only be achieved with a fully literate population.

Dr Cross said: “Literacy is much more in the 21 century than being able to code and decode text. It is the ability to comprehend, analyse, respond within the variety of complex situations which adults encounter. Each given situation requires a different degree of literacy competency. What we do know in our current environment is that approximately 70 per cent of our working population lacks certification. Our CXC results in 2008 show that 80 per cent of those who took the exams, earned three or less subjects. The 2009 /2010 national literacy tests saw an average of 52 per cent and for math it was 43 per cent.”

Dr Cross holds the view that Jamaica must also acknowledge that it is increasingly living in a knowledge-based world and that its citizens must be able to adapt, learn and master new skills quickly and efficiently.

“Literacy is a set of skills that reflect the needs of our times. Today in the 21st century, ICT literacy and the ability to use technology to accomplish thinking and learning skills is critical. Also the ability for JFLL to partner with Digicel and Camara will allow us to empower our youths in a phenomenal way,” added Dr Cross.