USF awards outstanding St Mary students
Published:Saturday | March 7, 2026 | 12:07 AMGareth Davis Sr/Gleaner Writer
Ten students from southeast St Mary received tablet computers from the Universal Service Fund (USF) on Thursday during a function at the Westmoreland Oval in Annotto Bay. The students, drawn from deep-rural primary schools across the constituency, were recognised for outstanding academic performance.
Breanna McDonald of the USF reiterated the agency’s commitment to its Connect-A-Child initiative, which she said aims not only to provide Internet access, but also to ensure that every child has the devices necessary to support their education. She noted as well that the public Wi-Fi system, currently disrupted in parts of St Mary South Eastern owing to recent weather conditions,will return to full strength once repairs are completed, and with improved resilience to future weather events.
Member of Parliament for St Mary South Eastern, Christopher Brown, praised the USF for its continued investment in students, stressing that the initiative represents more than the distribution of devices. It also, he said, broadens opportunities for young people.
“I want to commend the Universal Service Fund for its connect a child programme, which continues to make a meaningful impact across Jamaica,” he said.
“This initiative is not simply about devices; it is about access, equity, and preparing our young people to compete and thrive in a digital world. As member of parliament, I fully support this programme. It aligns directly with my strategic focus on strengthening education in Southeast St Mary, beginning at the early childhood level and continuing through our primary schools. If we are serious about digital transformation and national development, we must start with our children,” he added.
Brown said rural communities are too often left behind in the digital age, as access to technology and reliable connectivity remains uneven between urban and rural Jamaica. He argued that this reality underscores the value of initiatives that target under-served areas.
“In my capacity as opposition spokesperson on digital transformation, I am especially pleased whenever rural Jamaica is the focus of initiatives aimed at building human resource capacity. I am a strong believer in rural development because it is about equity, about access, and it is about fairness. When we invest in rural communities in this modern age of digital communication, we are not just helping individual students, we are advancing the strategic growth agenda of the entire country,” he concluded.