St Mary student pleads for computers

ROSEND, St Mary:

TEN-YEAR-OLD ABIGAIL Whitmore, a grade-six student at New Orange Hill Primary and Infant School in Rosend, St Mary, has pleaded to Education Minister Andrew Holness to provide her school with computers.

Whitmore said if students were able to access computers, they would do better in their Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT). "If we had computers, we would be able to surf the Internet to do research, and those doing GSAT will be able to go on gogsat," Whitmore told The Gleaner.

She noted that many students do not have a computer at home, and the use of the equipment could be an advantage. The future doctor is preparing for GSAT and hopes the problem will be addressed before she graduates.

Meanwhile, Dena Williams, principal of New Orange Hill Primary and Infant School, said the school is in dire need of assistance.

"We had two computers up to last year that were donated by a church group, but they were stolen within six months. Since then, we have tried to get assistance from various organisations, but no response. The computers were used to assist with our literacy programme."

Williams has also requested an auditorium. "We have enough space where two classrooms can be converted to this," adding that several other things were needed for the improvement of the school.

rural@gleanerjm.com