Bustamante High gets modern technology labs

Nearly two years after a fire severely damaged two Information Communication Technology (ICT) laboratories at Bustamante High School, the Clarendon-based institution has received new state-of-the-art facilities through a public–private collaboration.

The restoration and expansion project, valued at $20 million, was undertaken by the Universal Service Fund (USF) in partnership with e-Learning Jamaica Company (e-LJam) Limited, the Flow Foundation and the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information. The initiative included infrastructure repairs, upgraded equipment and enhanced digital learning tools aimed at improving digital literacy, advancing youth empowerment and ensuring equitable access to technology.

As the lead implementing agency, the USF managed the renovation of the laboratories, provided funding and oversaw the project’s execution, while also deploying ICT resources such as connectivity devices. The Flow Foundation supplied desks to accommodate 93 students and teachers, and e-LJam outfitted the spaces with nearly 100 laptops, three smart boards and classroom chairs—ensuring the facilities meet the demands of modern teaching and learning.

Chief Executive Officer of the USF, Charlton McFarlane, in remarks delivered by Corporate Planner Nepatra Bennett at Thursday’s official handover ceremony, said the project aligns with the agency’s mandate to promote technology for economic and social development.

“It is what drives our broader mission to ensure that all Jamaicans, especially our young people, can access the tools and connectivity needed to participate fully in national development,” he said. “Through collaboration with the Flow Foundation and e-Learning Jamaica, we committed to restoring and enhancing these facilities not simply to replace what was lost, but to build back stronger and smarter. The renovation of these computer labs represents an investment in human potential.”

Andrew Lee, chief executive officer of e-LJam, noted that the new technology will significantly improve teaching and learning at the school. “We are trying to build a technology-based economy and a technology-based country, and this is the foundation. Having the technology within our schools enables us to move towards that knowledge-based country,” he said.

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Principal of Bustamante High School, Wayne Evans, expressed gratitude for the investment, which he noted will enhance student performance. “The donation will set us forward with respect to our IT-related subjects. It is a major boost, not only for those areas but also for delivering content across the curriculum in more interactive ways,” he said.

Bustamante High School is also set to benefit from a Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) exemplary laboratory under a ministry programme that focuses on strategic investments in skills development. The initiative aims to modernise facilities, integrate new technologies, expand course offerings and strengthen partnerships with industry to better prepare students for modern jobs.

“We are expanding technical and vocational education in our schools through our TVET expansion programme. Bustamante High School has been selected to receive a 21stentury agriculture lab,” the Permanent Secretary said. “They already offer the programme, but we want to move them into 21st-century skills—how the smart room is connected, how technology is used in the field, how drones can be deployed for watering so students do not have to be physically present. That is the level of thinking and exposure we are bringing to them.”

In addition, the ministry has committed $147 million to fund the construction of security fencing around the school. “This is to ensure a safe and secure environment for learners, staff, property and the equipment in which we are investing,” the permanent secretary said. She added that the government will also assist with completing two classrooms already under construction.

“We are going to build out additional classrooms. The school has begun work on two rooms but is unable to continue resourcing the project. We have therefore incorporated it into our 2026/27 budget and maintenance programme. The Ministry of Education’s regional team and technical officers will lead the project, and I have approved $15 million to complete it, so the children can have more space.”