Seventy families benefitted from the One Laptop Per Family initiative when officers visited Betsy Ground and Gangaram, Canje, Berbice on Saturday to continue the distribution process.
Sesh Sukhdeo, Chief Executive Officer of the OLPF, considered this as “starting a new journey” for recipients as they are given the opportunity to “discover the world”, a GINA press release stated.
“This government initiative offers its beneficiaries the opportunity to not only elevate their standard of living but, also maximize their learning potential with the use of the internet and Information Communication Technology (ICT) as a key tool… the laptop also offers the opportunity to keep in contact with relatives and family residing overseas via the internet,” Sukhdeo stated.
“This initiative will see the country competing globally because as the citizens become efficient in the use of computers, they will maximize their learning potential… collectively this will see the country making quantum leaps in education along with the other major sectors as they are linked,” he further stated, according to GINA. Headmistress of the Betsy Ground Primary School, Nalini Carmichael, expressed pleasure in the school being chosen as an ICT hub which is considered a role in assisting the continued development of students as well as the elderly folks who will also be taught to use the laptops.
Also, Neville Bourne, Headmaster of another hub, the Gangaram Primary School, opined that the introduction of the equipment will assist residents in staying more in touch with the outer world.
The OLPF was introduced by former President, Bharrat Jagdeo, and is aimed at empowering Guyanese with modernized ways of developing their education, livelihood and personal ambitions through the use of ICT, GINA said.
“The government believes that ICT will lead the way forward (and) moreso will be one of the new sectors to generate greater disposable income and create thousands of jobs,” the release said.
The distribution exercise began late last year and 9,000 families have so far benefitted.
