UTech pledges to break down digital poverty

Nadisha Hunter, Sunday Gleaner Writer

THE UNIVERSITY of Technology (UTech) has pledged to tackle digital poverty in Jamaica as its next task to improve the education standard in society.

Outgoing chancellor for the UTech, Lord William Morris of Handsworth, said the scourge of digital poverty continued to affect several communities, and the university owed it to society to address the growing problem.

"As a country struggling for economic growth, we cannot accept a situation where thousands of our children have no access to computer and very little knowledge of the Internet and its capacity for the development, growth and expansion of the human spirit. That, for us, is a no acceptable position," he said while giving his address at the annual graduation ceremony for UTech at the National Arena yesterday.

Confident

He expressed confidence that the president of the institution would follow through with his commitment and introduce proposals to deal with the growing problem.

"I believe that we should start with a national survey of our schools to identify the area and nature of the problem, to be followed by the solution-based stakeholder discussion," Morris explained.

He called on university students and company personnel to dedicate time to facilitate the training of persons who had not been exposed to the Internet.

He congratulated the graduating class for their successes, but urged them to play their part in addressing social and economic challenges that were plaguing the society.

During the ceremony, Jamaica consul general to New York, Geneive Brown Metzger; general manager of Jamaica National Building Society, Earl Jarrett; and Douglas Orane, chairman and chief executive officer of GraceKennedy Ltd, were conferred with honorary degrees for their outstanding contribution to Jamaica. They were awarded with the Doctor of Laws honoris causa.