Children diagnosed with intellectual disabilities will soon be able to benefit from a centre of excellence in St Mary which is being built by telecommunications company Digicel in partnership with the Jamaica Association on Intellectual Disabilities (JAID).

A permanent home for Port Maria Learning Centre which will operate this centre of excellence, is also being constructed.

Literacy and numeracy as well as vocational skills will be taught at the facility to persons ages six to 20 who have an intellectual disability.

Theresa Clarke, whose eight-year-old son Jabari attends Port Maria Learning Centre, was one of several parents who expressed appreciation for the new centre which will be better able to meet their children’s needs.

“I feel very good that they have somewhere permanent, no more ups and downs. This is somewhere that they can come and safely learn. They can attend school like normal children,” the mother said. Clarke said she is comforted by the knowledge that her son can receive proper care at a facility that is close to his home.

Executive Director of JAID Christine Rodriquez said Digicel Foundation is a committed and dedicated partner.

“What they have given us here today is more than money can buy,” an enthusiastic Rodriquez said.

She explained that the demand for a learning facility for the intellectually disabled has been great in St Mary. A branch of JAID, which was first opened in St Mary in 1977, has had difficulty fulfilling this demand due to the lack of proper facilities. However, the soon-to-be-completed centre will have a permanent home. The facility which will consist of three classrooms, a multi- purpose area, administrative office and other amenities will cater to 36 students.

Chairman of Digicel Foundation Jean Lowrie-Chin said the centre of excellence programme has already been implemented in six schools, strengthening the capacity of special needs students in Jamaica through infrastructure improvement, the provision of equipment and material, and the training of teachers and caregivers.

She told the audience at the recent groundbreaking ceremony held at Trinity Primary in Port Maria, St Mary that Digicel Foundation will continue that trend at Port Maria Learning Centre.

“We will continue to do this with the Port Maria Learning Centre (at a cost of ) J$25 million. We will also be donating an additional J$2 million towards training materials, equipment, learning aids and furniture for retrofitting the newly built institution,” she explained.

In addition to the six centres of excellence already built, the Digicel Foundation intends to establish four more by 2016.

(Photos provided by Digicel)