Class 3 pupils from two primary schools in St Peter have been presented with free tablets by the Aron & Christina Foundation to assist them in their educational pursuits.
The charity foundation gave 50 Samsung tablets to pupils of the Boscobel and Roland Edwards primary schools at a brief ceremony yesterday, as it presses ahead with its efforts to support the development of young Barbadians by having them engage in learning through the use of technology.
The charity was founded by Aron and Christina Truss in 2009 “to promote and facilitate children’s education” at the primary and secondary levels in Barbados “as we believe that this will be the best means of ensuring the island’s social, economic and stability in the future”, the husband and wife team stated on the foundation’s website.
Aron Truss told the gathering during the handing over ceremony at Boscobel Primary that the foundation planned to hand out 600 tablets this year, and he urged the students to use the costly devices appropriately and wisely.
St Peter Member of Parliament Owen Arthur said he was pleased the children from poor families living in some of the communities which he represents were recipients of these gifts.
“The work that these two folks are doing is fundamental to the future of this country. I want to thank you for enabling the poor people in my constituency, who are not in a position to look after their children and grandchildren in the same way that I can, to have the same opportunity my children and grandchildren will have,” the former Prime Minister said.
Barbados Labour Party (BLP) candidate for St Peter, Colin Jordan, also commended the foundation’s continuing effort, stressing the importance of education and the right of every child to be educated.
“Education is important. It is a right that is owed to every child in the country. You didn’t ask to be born; you are here; the country and all the rest of us owe you the right to educate you.
“Your responsibility is to take it in. I want to encourage you to take in all that you can from your teachers, from your books and from your brand new Samsung Galaxy,” Jordan advised the pupils.
The foundation has indicated on its website that Class 3 pupils are chosen because they are old enough to handle the responsibility of taking care of the tablets, and will have them to assist with the two years of preparations for the Secondary School Entrance Examination.
A frequent visitor to Barbados, Andy Stewart, sponsored today’s effort. Stewart has been visiting Barbados for over 40 years.