AS teachers across Jamaica prepared to welcome students back to the classroom for the 2026/27 school year, the Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation (Grace & Staff) brought digital learning to the forefront with an intensive micro:bit Training of Trainers workshop for educators and education sector partners.

The training, held in late August ahead of the new school year, complemented the foundation’s ongoing investment in education. This includes its annual tuition assistance programme, which this year benefited 1,200 students, as well as its homework centres, which will support 400 students across five communities during the 2026/27 school year.

Delivered by the Grace & Staff team on behalf of the UK-based Micro:bit Educational Foundation, the workshop formed part of the wider Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) in Education Programme. The session focused on equipping teachers with confidence and practical skills to integrate the micro:bit in classroom instruction while achieving National Standards Curriculum objectives.

The micro:bit is a pocket-size programmable computer designed to introduce young people to coding and digital technology through hands-on learning, allowing them to create simple games and animations as well as more complex interactive projects.

Led by Dhira-Mae Brown-Douglas, Grace & Staff’s STEM administrator, the foundation’s facilitation team guided participants through technical instruction, hands-on learning, and collaboration. Teachers learnt how to set up and use the micro:bit, explored coding through the development of different programmes, and worked together to create classroom-ready activities and lesson plans aligned with curriculum objectives.

According to Sandrina Davis, CEO of Grace & Staff, the engagement reflects the foundation’s commitment to ensuring that investments in technology translate into meaningful learning experiences for Jamaican children.

“Providing technology is important, but empowering teachers to use that technology confidently and purposefully is where the real impact begins. Our aim is to help educators move beyond simply knowing how the micro:bit works to understanding how it can be integrated creatively into lessons to strengthen problem-solving, critical thinking, collaboration, and other skills our young people will need for the future,” said Davis.

She noted that the workshop also provided an opportunity for Grace & Staff to share expertise gained through its own programmes with a wider group of educators.

“For Grace & Staff, this is another important step in our work in STEM and digital education. Having incorporated the micro:bit into our own programmes since 2023, we are pleased to now share that experience more broadly. We are proud that our team has been able to contribute its knowledge and expertise to an initiative with the potential to influence teaching and learning across Jamaica.”