The Gladys Bailey Learning Centre is reopening its doors to children in Tivoli Gardens and has plans to better integrate the internet in its future literary development programmes.

The Flow Foundation upgraded the Centre’s internet service in April 2022, with speeds of up to 100Mbps now available. Shortly after, the Centre was closed but will be reopened in the coming weeks, and it will place particular focus on developing the literary skills of the children with the help of online tools.

“The dream is to see these boys and girls get good opportunities and a strong educational foundation is a big part of that,” said Jacqueline Vassel, a teacher at the Centre. “We will be focusing on reading when we reopen and we will be including the use of apps and YouTube videos in the learning process.”

The digitisation of learning has become an indispensable tool for teachers and a great aid for students. Videos, interactive apps and artificial intelligence have become a mainstay of the learning process at all levels, and particularly for children.

Flow’s Public Relations Manager, LeVaughn Flynn, noted that, “The speed upgrade provided to the Gladys Bailey Learning Centre in Tivoli Gardens will go a long way in facilitating digital learning and providing options for how the children gain knowledge. The internet is a powerful ally for education and this is one way the Flow Foundation lives its value of connecting communities and changing lives.”

The Gladys Bailey Learning Centre has been positively impacting the lives of children in West Kingston for more than 10 years and caters to children primarily between 10 and 12 years old. The Centre operates at two other locations in Denham Town: Metcalf and Victoria Streets.