Digicel Foundation broadens Safer Internet Together programme to include parents, teachers
DIGICEL Foundation is deepening its commitment to online safety by broadening its Safer Internet Together (SIT) programme to include parents and teachers, arming adults with the knowledge and tools needed to guide and monitor how children behave online.
This expansion comes on the heels of a stand-out year for the programme, which reached more than 34,000 students across 150 schools islandwide with lessons on digital responsibility. SIT is a year-long, nationwide initiative built to give all Jamaicans the essential knowledge to move safely through the digital space.
So far, over 50 parents and teachers have taken part in the programme, which tackles key issues such as cyberbullying, parental controls, personal data protection, and data privacy.
Looking ahead, the foundation will host a series of targeted sessions with school principals in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s Regions four and one this summer, further strengthening ties with school leadership and expanding the programme’s footprint in those communities.
Charmaine Daniels, CEO of Digicel Foundation, explained that the digital landscape is evolving at a pace that can be difficult for any parent or teacher to keep up with.
“Through SIT, we are ensuring that the adults in our children’s lives are not left behind. Adults need to be aware of what is happening online so that they can effectively monitor, guide, and protect the young people in their care,“ Daniels said.
STEM Builders Learning Hub, the programme’s implementing partner, is responsible for delivering the digital safety curriculum in schools and community settings. According to CEO Kavelle Hylton, experience on the ground has made clear just how urgent it is to bring parents into the conversation alongside students.
“What we are finding is that parents sometimes are simply not aware of what their children are encountering online – the risks, the platforms, or the conversations happening in digital spaces. Educating them and guiding them is so important, because they are the ones who can guide our children at home. When we strengthen the awareness of parents and teachers, we multiply the impact of everything we do in the classroom,” said Hylton.
SIT is backed by a group of dedicated partners united by a shared vision for a safer digital Jamaica, including Sunshine Snacks, Macmillan Education, JPS, and
KOOL 97FM. In 2026, Digicel Foundation aims to bring the programme to 100 additional schools and host 25 parent-teacher association sessions.