CONVINCED that the Government cannot fix all the problems in the education system by itself, Ritchie Nebar, a Jamaican living in the United States over 35 years, made a decision in 2015 to donate much-needed equipment and supplies each year to his alma mater, Haile Selassie High School.

His latest donation, on Monday, was 20 telephones to improve communication between the various departments at the school as well as between parents and teachers.

“Today I am giving a phone system so that education can be at its maximum. There are a lot of things that schools need, but people think that the ministry should do everything. These phones are for parents to be able to call and check up on their children by reaching out to the teachers to find out if their children are attending school. If they are going to have meetings they can press a button and give a reminder to every member of staff,” Nebar told the Jamaica Observer on Monday.

Nebar shared that in 2015 his first donation to the school was a public announcement (PA) system.

“The following year I did a staff appreciation to honour every individual staff member here. Every year I come back and give. I honour workers for performance, I have given 10 laptops and a second, portable PA system. I funded Teachers’ Day the other day, and I help out with a lot of students — I help them financially. This morning was special. I served every member of staff and student, free of cost.”

Lorenzo Ellis, the school’s principal,,expressed gratitude for the donation, citing that Nebar’s donation will help the school operate more efficiently.

“The system with 20 phones will now allow us to allocate phones to departments and blocks, ranging from the guidance counsellor to the industrial block, the music room and the library, so that we have an internal communication system connecting all the blocks and departments. For example, the security will have one at the desk at the front and will be able to interface with a teacher at the furthest point of the school rather than leaving the post,” he said.

Ellis added: “The system will therefore improve our internal communication, collaboration, networking and operational possibilities. By extension it will increase our efficiency in the services that support teaching and would redound to improvements in student attainment and learning.”