Charlie Smith High has been added as the 39th institution to be part of the ‘Tablets in Schools (TIS) Pilot Project where students and teachers receive tablet devices.
“We are very excited. Members of staff have been trained by the e-Learning Jamaica team, and we look forward to the Project enhancing curriculum delivery and engaging the students in education with the use of the technology”, Garth Gayle, principal of the Charlie Smith High School told “e-Learning Jamaica Today”.
Located in Arnett Gardens in South St Andrew, Charlie Smith High recently merged with neighbouring Trench Town High School. More than 1000 students are now enrolled at the institution. Mr. Gayle said that the school was performing below standard; however he is working to change that situation and the institution is getting itself ready to manage the process when they receive the devices.
“We are seeking to make Charlie Smith one of the top high schools in Jamaica, and such innovations as the Tablets in Schools will go a long way in assisting us in meeting that goal”, he declared.
Meanwhile lecturer in the School of Education, Centre for the Assessment and Treatment of Exceptionalities at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Joan Spencer-Ernandez, who is coordinating the academic programme implementation at Charlie Smith High, says the TIS Project will assist the remedial reading programme at the school.
“It is good that we (will) have the Tablets in Schools programme here…we are downloading reading programmes that will match the reading levels of the students, (In preparation), we are going to start where they are and build from there,” explained Mrs. Spencer-Ernandez.
TIS Project Manager Manley Haye said preparations were in place for the roll out of tablets at Charlie Smith High.
“We have already completed the training of teachers at (the school) so as soon as conditions are right we will be ready to go”, he disclosed.
(Additional reporting from the JIS)
