With the recent destructive and disruptive passage of Hurricane Matthew in the islands of The Bahamas, schools, communities and businesses have tried as best as possible to expedite the rebuilding and recuperation process. Sandilands Primary School has been no exception, but its attempts have been heavily hampered by the theft of the 32 computers that serviced their 565 students. The computers were stolen during the school's closure for the hurricane.
Sandals Foundation has responded to the request of Sandilands Primary and is refurnishing the school with 32 computers to restore classes to the normal mode of operations. The rapid response by the Foundation comes with the recognition that technology has become inextricably tied with educational delivery making computers and the internet an indispensable asset to the classroom. Sandals Foundation also has an ongoing self-given charge to assist communities and schools in the Caribbean that have been impacted by natural disasters.
Although classes have resumed at Sandilands, the school had the added distress of not having the computers which are an integral part of the learning experience for each student who is mandated to have a 60-minute computer interaction time each week for multiple subject areas. Teachers have also been impacted by the technological deprivation as the computers assisted with the creation of lesson plans and were a major mode of internal communication.
The computer donations are perfectly timed to coincide with the resumption of lessons in 2017. Pamela Amerly, headmistress of Sandilands Primary School, expressed that with the use of computers, reading levels have skyrocketed as a result of interactive media. Children are more engaged through the use of computers in an afterschool 'Tune Into Reading' program aimed at enhancing literacy; fewer absents have also been noted. Mrs. Amerly could not stress enough what it meant to receive the donation from Sandals Foundation.
"We feel so blessed to have Sandals in our corner this year. The children have really been responding to the assistance that we've received and these new laptop computers will really assist them with their reading comprehension and increase their excitement to learn."
Director of Programmes of Sandals Foundation, Heidi Clarke, commented, "We are really pleased that we have been able to facilitate this donation of technology to assist the dedicated Staff at Sandilands Primary. We have seen firsthand their dedication to the children and we are happy to play our part to ensure they have all they need to continue on their mission."

Click here to read more at The Nassau Guardian