KINGSTON, Jamaica- Students at Central High School in Clarendon are basking in the first Universal Service Fund (USF) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Club for high schools, aimed at promoting digital literacy and bridging the digital divide among Jamaica’s youth.

Launched recently, the club’s membership is 56 and has a growing list of prospective members.

The initiative will provide students with a platform to apply ICT concepts to real-world scenarios, promote ingenuity and develop soft skills in leadership, critical thinking, teamwork, and communication.

Treasurer of the Club, Riana Richards, said that the members are very excited to be the first school to have such a club, adding that they conduct weekly meetings and are planning several programmes to ensure that ICT is embraced by as many students as possible.

She informed that they are in the completion stage of their school’s website, which will be used to promote the institution’s activities, its history and academic offerings, with a special focus on “information technology skills” development.

The Treasurer strongly believes that the club will help with the improvement of students’ technology skills, such as programming, coding, robotics and website development.

A teacher at Central High, and adviser to the Club, Sasha Burke, said that for some time she toyed with the idea of having a formal ICT group at the school, and when “we spoke to persons at the USF, everything came together, and I am really glad that we did”.

Burke said she is pleased with the interest shown by the students in the group.

She stated that this will give the school much more exposure, and students at the school and other institutions can get information about the various subjects offered at the institution’s evening classes.

Corporate Planner at the USF, Nepetra Bennett, said coming out of a 2022 decision to ensure “greater efforts to engage citizens in ICT from an early age”, the concept of the ICT Clubs in high schools was formulated to provide an environment that would encourage an appreciation for ICT.

“It is envisioned that through the club membership, students will be provided with the opportunity to access the various ICT applications,” she said.

“The programme is not only to establish ICT clubs at these schools but also provide mentorship with the assignment of representatives from the USF, Jamaica Technology and Digital Alliance and other interest groups,” she added.

– JIS