Students who face challenges with connectivity for virtual learning will receive 100 tablets from Restaurants of Jamaica (ROJ), through its KFC ‘Add Hope’ initiative.

ROJ, which operates the KFC and Pizza Hut franchises in Jamaica, is the latest entity to participate in the ‘One Laptop or Tablet per Child’ initiative launched by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information last October.

The Alcatel 10-inch tablets, valued at $2.3 million, were donated by the outreach programme, and were handed over to the education ministry on Wednesday.

In accepting the donation, Minister of Education Fayval Williams thanked ROJ for its generous contribution.

“We at the ministry are particularly thankful to corporate Jamaica for responding to our appeal and we underscore our sincere gratitude to ROJ in particular for your support to education in a number of projects over the years,” said Williams.

“This represents an extension of your corporate outreach to the education sector and I am particularly delighted with the donation of 100 tablets, as we are keen on enabling as many needy students as we can reach to get their personal device for schoolwork,” added Williams who has overseen the donation of approximately 7,000 devices plus cash contributions of approximately $97 million in the just over three months since the initiative was launched.

In the meantime, marketing director for ROJ Tina Matalon explained that the novel coronavirus pandemic highlighted the need to incorporate technology into the education system to increase the flexibility and resilience of students.

“The initiative is important because it is helping to bridge the digital divide that exists in Jamaica. These devices will be providing a means to connectivity for many students who simply just don’t have access to them.” said Matalon.

She told the Jamaica Observer that the donation will add hope to the future because children are in an unknown situation, where they are unsure of how they will get an education and how they will access the tools needed.

“The ministry has really answered the call to put in place this initiative to be able to get the resources they need. I think the children all across Jamaica should know that public sectors, the ministry as well as the private sector, are trying to get every bit that they can contribute to try to alleviate that fear. We are really proud to be able to participate and add hope because that’s really what it is all about,” she said

Gospel artiste Kevin Downswell, who is the KFC ‘Add Hope’ ambassador, was pleased with the initiative.

“Every time I see a tablet I see the face of a child lit up because they know how much they have been praying for this and hoping. So this is like the answer to somebody’s prayer. We might see it as simple as it might look, but it means the world to some of these kids and so it is everything for me,” Downswell told the Observer.