MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Twelve schools in North West Manchester recently received computers while some received multi-function photocopiers.

The donations were made possible through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) allocation for Member of Parliament Mikael Phillips, supported by contributions from the Digicel Foundation and photocopier provider Dos-2009 Limited.

Medina All-Age, Comfort Hall All-Age, Coley Mountain Primary, Somerset All-Age, Fairfield Primary, Huntley All-Age, Nazareth All-Age, Bethany Primary, Harry Watch All-Age, Hatfield Primary and Junior High, Auchtembeddie Primary and Mayfield Basic School were all given five computers each on February 28 (Jamaica Day).

The Ministry of Education’s Region Five based in Mandeville, along with New Green Primary and Junior High, Mile Gully Primary and Kendal Primary received a photocopier each.

St Pauls All-Age received a photocopier to be shared with Medina All-Age while Comfort Hall All-Age will share with Auchtembeddie Primary.

Hatfield Primary and Junior High’s photocopier is slated to also serve Fairfield Primary and Huntley All-Age.

Phillips told the audience at Greenvale Computer Lab that what was being done is only the first phase of a project to enhance education in his constituency. He spoke of plans to do more for students at the early childhood level.

“In the new budget year… we will be touching… majority of the basic schools in North West Manchester in introducing the technology from that stage in early childhood, so that when they get to the primary school level they can master it. We no longer operate in an insular world where we (are) only dealing with us in Manchester or in the community that we live in. We are operating in a global environment…,” he said.

Phillips said that an advantage of the computers from the Digicel Foundation is that they come with “pre-loaded” educational software and even in the absence of Internet connection in some schools they will not become just “another toy”.

According to a release, Digicel Jamaica is providing each school with three months’ free Internet service powered by its 4G Broadband and Mobile Services.

The computer donations were part of the “Project 1000” initiative of the Digicel Foundation, which aims to provide information and communication technologies to over one thousand schools across the island.

Project 1000 is reportedly in keeping with the Foundation’s aim to meet the United Nation’s Millennium Development Goal of achieving 100 per cent literacy by 2015.

Dos-2009 Limited representative Christopher James said that in the company’s almost 11 years it is the first time that they are making a contribution publicly.

James said that his company is also committed to assisting with maintenance services that will enable the photocopiers to be in use for as long as possible.

Phillips said the initiative showed that the “join-up” of the public and private sectors can work for the success of rural development and the betterment of Jamaica.