Equipment donation to boost literacy in Manchester schools

KINGSTON, Jamaica:

In a bid to help improve literacy in Manchester schools, DOS 2009 Limited, local distributor of RICOH equipment, has embarked on an initiative to provide much-needed digital equipment to eight rural institutions in the parish.

Kendal All-Age, New Green Primary and Junior High, Mile Gully Primary, Hatfield Primary and Junior High, St Paul's All-Age, and Comfort Hall All-Age have received six multifunction machines on Wednesday, March 19 from DOS 2009. Through a special agreement, two additional schools will also benefit by sharing resources with the schools in which the devices have been placed.

Blossom Foster, principal of New Green Primary and Junior High School, says improving literacy levels in the school is their main focus and printing equipment plays an integral role in the process.

"We are very excited about this machine. Just hearing how many copies we can get out of one bottle of ink is really going to help us print more materials for children because we are focusing on literacy. This year, our target is to receive 80 per cent literacy in the Grade Four Achievement test and when we have a machine like this, it will generate a number of copies that we can use for the children over time. This is a rural school, so sometimes, we don't get as much help as we would like. This will assist us greatly," she said.

The device has a combination of printing, faxing, and photocopying capabilities that will enhance the teaching-learning process at these schools and help the administrative staff to carry out their duties more efficiently. DOS 2009 Ltd also gave the schools ink that will yield up to 30,000 prints and have committed to providing servicing and support for the equipment.

Christopher James, managing director of DOS 2009 Ltd, believes there is a great need for this kind of equipment, especially in rural schools, and was happy to respond to the cry for assistance.

Giving back

"It is very important to my team and me that Jamaican students have access to resources to boost their development. We decided to give these machines and broker sharing agreements among schools to assist in reaching as many children as possible. It is our civic duty to become active enablers of positive impact in our country, and we are encouraged by the promises of the educators at these institutions," said James.

The administrative bodies of the schools expressed appreciation for the equipment which will go towards printing worksheets and examination papers, circulars to parents and exposing the students to a variety of printed material.

According to Maxine Headley, principal of Kendal All-Age School, the multifunction machine is quite timely and will assist students in doing more work at home.

"I am more than grateful to DOS for giving us this photocopying machine. We usually need to print a large number of exam papers - especially grade four and grade six - those are the two main exam classes, and they do a lot of copying because the children do their own work individually, so instead of books, they get work sheets to take home. So this will go a far way in assisting with thecopying," she said.

CAPTION - Nashon Smith (right), a grade eight student at New Green Primary and Junior High School, is the first to test the school's new multifunction machine donated by Christopher James, managing director of DOS 2009 Limited, local distributors of RICOH equipment, on Wednesday, March 19. The firm has also negotiated sharing agreements between schools which will see the machine housed at one institution, but both benefitting from its use. - Contributed Photo

CAPTION - Samantha Daley (left), teacher at Comfort Hall All-Age School, learns
the ropes from Christopher James (right), managing director of DOS 2009
Limited, local distributor of RICOH equipment, after he presented the
new multi-function device to the school on Wednesday, March 19, while
Judith Dillon (partially hidden), teacher, and Cherine Nicholson,
principal, look on. - Contributed Photo