Hi-tech boost for St George Secondary School

Technology has become an integral part of today’s modern approach to education and schooling, which is why the teachers and students at the St. George Secondary School are “over the moon” after receiving a donation of 50 refurbished desktop computers from Sagicor.

Over the last two years, the leading financial solutions provider has made several donations of refurbished computers to schools and organisations across the island, to bolster and provide much needed and welcomed assistance to the recipients’ educational
and outreach programmes. This latest contribution has been the largest one made thus far, with the equipment to be used by the school’s Information Technology programme, as well as integrated into day-to-day teaching activities.

Paul Inniss, Executive Vice President and General Manager with Sagicor Life Inc, said the donations made to multiple organisations over the past two years, are a manifestation of the great need for technological resources across the island. “Whether they are being utilized for community outreach by charitable organisations or for educational development within schools, each one of these donated systems will make a significant difference in the lives of the individuals they are intended for.

“The pace at which technology is evolving and the way in which it is being utilized in our daily lives necessitates the accelerated adoption of technological and digital approaches. In order for us not to be left behind as a society, we must bring our approach more in line with the direction that the rest of the world is going in,” he said.

Principal of the School Dennis Browne said computer technology has become an integral part of the delivery of its school curriculum, ensuring each student is exposed
to the fundamentals of information
technology.

“Evidence of the success of this programme can be seen by the consistently high percentage passes of our students, in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) of Technical Drawing using Computer Aided Drafting (AutoCAD), and Electronic Document Preparation Management (EDPM). In both subjects, we continue to gain 100 per cent passes of grades 1 to 3,” he said.

“This donation will better prepare us with the number of computers necessary for all our students to sit the CXC CSEC paper 1, currently being administered through e-testing as well as allow us to further develop our Coding and Robotics programme. We are therefore greatly appreciative to Sagicor for these tools that will assist with the school’s vision of being “an institution of excellence developing the various intelligences of all students,” he added.

In 2022, Sagicor donated similar systems to the rehabilitation programmes at Verdun and Marina Houses, to assist with the successful rehabilitation and reintegration into society of individuals struggling with mental health and addiction challenges, through structured programmes aimed at developing life skills and providing the tools necessary to earn a living and navigate real life challenges. In November and December, respectively, donations were made to the Babb’s Reading Clinic and the A-Z Reading Programme at the Gordon Greenidge Primary School.

Since 2020, Sagicor and its Tech Support team have made several other similar donations, with recipients including the Optimist Club, the Unborn Justice organisation and the St. Leonard’s Boys School Music Lab. (PR)