Republic of Korea donates more than 4,000 tablets

Students have started to receive 4,103 tablet computers donated by the Republic of Korea, valued at more than $92 million.

The devices were officially handed over to some of the schools and the National Education Trust, at the offices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in downtown Kingston yesterday. Education Minister Fayval Williams said that since the launch of the One Tablet per Child Initiative in 2020, the ministry has moved to ensure that more schools are better equipped to help their students and teachers have the resources to be better prepared for a contemporary society. She pointed out that the donation is the largest to have been received from the ministry's partners.

She said that in a world in which artificial intelligence and other areas of technology are gaining greater importance, the administration has a responsibility to help children get ready for their future.

"With an improved infrastructure, technology will allow us to give our children, regardless of their social background, where they live or the jobs their parents do, the same chance to meet people, if not in person, then via the Internet to help them understand the wide range of opportunities open to them," Williams argued.

Foreign Affairs Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith, said since April 2020, the Republic of Korea has donated more than US$2-million (approximately $312-million) worth of medical supplies and technology. The Republic of Korea's Charge d'Affaires, Jin-wook Kim, said his country believes that technology can bridge gaps and enhance education, and "we stand with Jamaica in this endeavour, and will continue to work hand in hand for the betterment of our peoples".