SCORES of Jamaicans have been empowered with critical digital literacy and online safety skills through year one of the Digicel Foundation’s Safer Internet Together (SIT) programme.

This is a nationwide initiative designed to promote safer and more responsible Internet use for Jamaicans of all ages.

The programme was officially launched on February 11, 2025, in observance of Safer Internet Day. Since its inception, SIT has delivered important and necessary conversations around online safety and digital literacy, reaching more than 32,000 students across 150 schools, more than 2,000 senior citizens, and more than 100 other community members islandwide.

Speaking at the SIT Year One Close Out and Appreciation Ceremony held recently at Digicel’s headquarters in Kingston, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information Dr Kasan Troupe, praised the Digicel Foundation for its leadership in reducing digital risks while building critical digital skills among Jamaica’s youth.

“The Safer Internet Together programme has reached 150 schools across the island and for that we commend the Digicel Foundation for taking this important initiative directly into our schools. When you invest in education, you invest in the future,” said Troupe.

“Through this programme, we can now look forward to a more civil society of responsible digital citizens. Students are being made aware of the potential dangers of unsafe Internet use [as] many young people are often unaware of the long term consequences of what they post online.

“By bringing this into their consciousness, the Digicel Foundation is helping to shape better decision making and more responsible behaviour for the future. We welcome the continuation of this programme for another year, as it directly supports Jamaica’s education and digital transformation goals,” added Troupe.

Digicel Group CEO Marcelo Cataldo reaffirmed the company’s commitment to meaningful connectivity, as he emphasised that access to technology must be accompanied by education, responsibility and protection, particularly for young users.

“We provide one of the most powerful tools in the world and with that comes a significant responsibility, especially when it comes to our children. It is not enough to connect them, we must also teach them how to use the Internet responsibly,” Cataldo said.

“Through the SIT programme, we were able to make the online space safer for our children, many of whom are still learning how to navigate it. At the same time, the programme helped to bridge the digital divide by giving them the opportunity to learn, grow and use technology as a platform for a better future,” added Cataldo.

The school tour component of the programme was implemented by STEM Builders Learning Hub, whose CEO, Kavelle Hylton, underscored the significant impact of the SIT initiative on students.

Hylton noted that many children are actively online, particularly through gaming platforms, where issues such as cyberbullying frequently occur, often without the students fully understanding the consequences of their actions.

“One of the most striking observations was that many students, especially boys, engage heavily in online gaming environments where they may either experience cyberbullying or unknowingly perpetuate it. In many cases, there is a lack of awareness. This programme helped to shift mindsets across the primary, secondary, and special education levels,” Hylton explained.

Digicel Foundation also partners with the Jamaica Public Service Company, Sunshine Snacks, Macmillan Education, and
Kool 97 FM, to implement SIT.

The foundation has announced that building on the strong outcomes of year one, the programme will be renewed for another year.

Year two will expand its reach to include 100 additional schools, 25 parent-teacher digital safety sessions, and the introduction of digital take home resource kits for parents to support continued learning and safer Internet practices at home.

Charmaine Daniels (second left), CEO of the Digicel Foundation, poses with Digicel Foundation board directors (from left) Antoinette Heirs, Abbigail Plummer, and Avryl Francis, who also serve as leads for the volunteer corps, known as the SIT Squad. They were presented with plaques in recognition of their leadership and commitment throughout year one of the Digicel Foundation’s Safer Internet Together Programme.