Nightingale Grove Primary School, located in St Elizabeth, was among seven primary schools given computers to assist students in the learning process.

The equipment was donated by Caribbean Classic Golf Invitational in fulfilment of its mission "to put computer learning centres in all primary schools in Jamaica".

So far, the group has met the needs of 70 schools at a cost exceeding US$400,000 (approximately J$35,303,303).

Marva Edwards, principal of Nigtingale Grove, said she was grateful for the gift, as it would have a positive impact on the school population.

"This will not only benefit the literacy and numeracy levels at the school, but it will also be beneficial to the database system," she told The Gleaner in an interview.

The school had a computer lab which only housed three computers but the principal was determined that her school would not lag behind in information technology.

"We had to prioritise by giving the bigger students who are on their way to high school more exposure than the smaller ones, but we did not stop the classes," she informed.

fair share

According to Edwards, the school would now give all students their fair share of lessons and members of the community would also benefit.

The school was given 10 computers to develop its computer lab.

Alexandra Brissette, a lower-grade student at the institution, said he was excited about the learning tools and he would strive to get optimum use from the machines.

"The computers that we got today will help us in learning. It is very nice that we can learn more about literacy and numeracy," he noted.

"I will be spending a lot of time on the computer so that I can learn more."

The student said he was often deprived of using computers at the school, as there weren't enough to accommodate him.

Speaking at the handover ceremony at the Hilton Kingston hotel on Friday, Minister of Education Andrew Holness said along with helping in the learning process, the tools would be beneficial in the creation of an education management-information system.

"We are moving towards greater accountability for education performance and to do that, we have to be able to measure performance. In measuring performance, we have to be able to record, report and analyse, and the computer is the best way to do that," he said.

Meanwhile, Norman Malcolm, principal of Windward Road Primary School, which was a recipient the previous year, said equipment they received had improved the literacy rate there by 10 per cent.