Rotary Club of Sav targets education in post-storm recovery

WESTERN BUREAU:

In a major effort to boost education recovery in Westmoreland amid the lingering effects of Hurricane Melissa, the Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar, in partnership with the Rotary Foundation and Rotary District 7020, has distributed 18 Starlink Internet systems to schools across the parish.

The initiative forms part of a wider post-disaster response targeting schools in western Jamaica, including institutions in Trelawny, Hanover and St James. Of the 35 Starlink units secured for the region, 18 were allocated to Westmoreland schools, several of which remain without consistent electricity or water months after the hurricane.

With some students unable to fully resume face-to-face learning due to the lack of basic infrastructure, access to reliable Internet has emerged as a critical lifeline for teachers and students in the west.

The beneficiary institutions in Westmoreland are Broughton Primary School, Godfrey Stewart High School, Ferris Primary School, Frome Technical High School, Grange Hill High School, Green Island High School, Holly Hill Primary School, Kew Park Primary School, Knockalva Technical High School, Little London High School, Manning’s School, Maud McLeod High School, New Hope Primary School, Petersfield High School, Savanna-la-Mar Primary School, Savanna-la-Mar High School, Sheffield Primary School, and Townhead Primary School.

Beyond the provision of the equipment, the Rotary Club has committed to covering the full cost of one year’s subscription for each Starlink device.

Jean Powell, president of the Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar, explained that the initiative was born out of urgent post-hurricane assessments conducted by the Rotary’s disaster relief network.

“We have within this boundary a disaster relief group that gets together after any major disaster and assists in whichever way feasible,” explained Powell. “So this group got together post-Melissa, and we’re trying to figure out how we could help the schools get back on their feet.”

Powell further noted that while the Rotary Club was eager to assist with rebuilding, government regulations prevented the organisation from carrying out structural repairs to school buildings.

“But we can do internal resources, internal classrooms, fixing up classrooms with resources, whichever way we can,” she said.

Powell described this Starlink initiative as a “low-hanging fruit” that could have an immediate impact and help to facilitate students getting back into the classroom.

NEW FOCUS

Initially, the focus was on secondary-level institutions. However, Powell said she made the decision to include primary schools, particularly because of the students who are preparing for their national examinations.

Powell noted that only one school was still in the process of collecting the device.

The Starlink project, she told The Gleaner, cost approximately US$100,000. It included a US$50,000 grant already fully utilised to provide the devices along with the yearlong subscriptions.

In addition to the Starlink project, the Rotary Club is also sourcing solar generators for schools that remain without electricity.

“For example, Holly Hill up in Darliston, which has nothing, has lost practically the whole top of the school,” said Powell. “So we’re getting them a solar generator so the kids can get back on track.”

The organisation is also expanding its focus to early childhood institutions.

“We are also looking at fixing some basic schools,” noted Powell. “We have approved one so far … Bright Stars Academy in Savanna-la-Mar.”

She added that other basic schools were currently under review, including schools in Grange Hill and Bethel Town. Powell hopes the programme can assist at least five basic schools with rebuilding.

But perhaps the most concerning factor that Powell highlighted is the long-term educational fallout from the hurricane.

“Nearly half of the children from the upper forms – like fifth form and sixth form – have not returned to school,” she said. “Because of finances, because of no electricity, no water.”

As such, Rotary’s mission, she said, remains firmly centred on getting students back into classrooms.

“So whichever way we can facilitate and push forward to get these kids back in school, that is what our goal is right now,” Powell said. “And we will continue to work for as long as we can with the resources that we get.”

mickalia.kington@gleanerjm.com