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Scotia Bank donates computers to education development
Government’s thrust in 2010 is to expand the access of Information Communications Technology (ICT) in schools across the country while ensuring that young individuals have the opportunity of becoming computer literate in this technologically advancing world.
The Bank of Nova Scotia (Scotiabank) has come on board with the Ministry of Education as it partners with organisations to promote ICT by donating 100 monitors and Central Processing Units (CPUs) to the Global Partnership for Literacy organisation to assist with computerization of secondary schools across Guyana.
Vice-Chairman of the Guyana Chapter, Global Literacy, Conrad Plummer, stated that the intention of SchoolNet Guyana is to expose 120 secondary schools to computers, resulting in thousands of young individuals becoming computer literate.
He said that the generous donation from Scotiabank coincides with Government’s plan to ensure that all schools become technologically advanced and benefits from this plan will be seen in the future since it is a long-term initiative.
Manager of Products and Marketing, Scotiabank, Jennifer Cipriani explained that the bank’s contribution was made possible through its “Bright Future Programme” which caters for initiatives that will further develop the country and young people.
She posited that the bank recognised that computer literacy was necessary and as such partnered with Global Literacy to help establish and furnish computer laboratories at schools throughout the country. Chairperson, Global Literacy, Danny Doobay emphasised that SchoolNet Guyana is a computer-based literacy project aimed at integrating Information Communications Technology (ICT) in approximately 120 secondary schools across Guyana.
He expressed gratitude to Scotiabank for the significant donation which would be used to further deliver the SchoolNet Guyana project at a faster rate and educate young Guyanese in the area of Information Technology (IT).
Doobay explained that the 100 computers will facilitate the establishment of IT laboratories for three schools since a laboratory is furnished with an average of 30 computers.
He added that Global Literacy is aiming to have a number of schools completed with SchoolNet Guyana before the end of 2010. Both software and training will be provided with the computer labs.
Software Engineer, Global Literacy, Varman Cholan stated that the organisation is currently setting up a testing programme for the national student management software, which was created by Global Literacy to be implemented in all schools.
He explained that the software will be distributed to eight selected schools later this year and will be used to manage schedules, attendance and grades of students which the Ministry of Education will have easy access to, at any given time.
Global Literacy is a Canadian Non-Profit Organisation with a mission to bring ICT to schools in Guyana. In pursuit of this objective, Global Literacy seeks to develop innovative partnerships with a variety of non-governmental, business and social organisations and particularly organisations which share the vision of Global Literacy.
The pilot project consists of five schools which include Diamond Secondary School, Region Four, Bygeval Multilateral School and Beterverwagting (BV) Secondary School, Region Five and Patentia Secondary School and Parika Secondary School, Region Three.
The pilot on SchoolNet Guyana was launched on January 29 at the Diamond Secondary School, East Bank Demerara by Global Partnership for Literacy (Global Literacy) and the Ministry of Education with 30 computers being handed over to the school.
Recently at the J.C. Chandisingh School, 25 internet-ready computers were donated by the J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School Alumni Association in collaboration with Proprietor of Metro Office Supplies, Ron Ramnarayan in support of the Ministry’s Education Strategic Plan (ESP) which caters for all secondary schools to be furnished with IT labs by 2013.
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