Minister of Science, Energy and Technology Daryl Vaz says the Government has spent $1.5 billion to provide tablets to students and teachers under the Tablets in Schools and Tablet for Teachers programmes.

The Tablets for Teachers programme is part of an agreement between the Government and the Jamaica Teachers’ Association to provide each teacher in public schools with a 10-inch tablet computer as part of their compensation package, while the Tablets in Schools programme seeks to provide students with their own devices.

Addressing the Universal Service Fund’s (USF) PEP Grant and PATH Scholarship presentation ceremony recently, Vaz said 25,000 thousand teachers have received tablets and more than 34,000 tablets have been distributed to more than 700 schools islandwide.

Additionally, through the USF, $700 million has been earmarked annually for the purchase of devices under the Tablets in Schools programme executed by e-Learning Jamaica.

Vaz reiterated the Government’s commitment to transform the nation to a digital society.

“It is for this reason that we are working assiduously to roll out full broadband access across the island, so that we can reach every last mile and every citizen. It is going to take some time, but we are committed to making this a reality for the advancement of our people and our country,” said Vaz.

Twenty-eight PATH students were recipients of a USF PEP Grant of $40,000 each while one student received the PATH information and communication technologies (ICT) Tertiary Scholarship.