Students across the south-eastern community of Mayaro will approach the opening of the new school term, having been empowered through the donation of learning devices by bpTT.
At a presentation ceremony held at the Mayaro Resource Centre last week, bpTT presented 75 tablets and 20 laptops to a handful of representative students and officials of primary and secondary school students from across the community.
These devices will be personally distributed to 95 students by the school officials, in adherence to COVID-19 guidelines.
Receiving a laptop was 15-year-old Breniseyr of Rio Claro East Secondary School, who was accompanied by her mother Natalie Demming.
“My daughter is working towards becoming a doctor and she is a model student, excelling in both academics and athletics. Because of challenges, she had to use my phone to take part in classes or do research, and that was far from ideal. This laptop from bpTT will make huge difference and it has given her every opportunity to be her best. It’s not an understatement to say that bpTT has transformed my daughter’s life,” Natalie said.
As part of the #InThisTogether social support initiative that started in March 2020, bpTT has already donated 300 devices to students in Mayaro as well as across the country, including Tobago students.
Breniseyr, 15, of Rio Claro East Secondary School gets insight into the features of her laptop.
Explaining the impact was Matthew Pierre, community liaison co-ordinator, bpTT.
“We have always supported education initiatives from the pre-primary to the post-graduate level. Ever since the onset of the pandemic and the changed paradigms in terms of education, we have been co-ordinating with educators to empower students who are at a disadvantage in terms of not having a device to fully benefit from the new virtual learning environment.
Come September, these students will start the new term with enthusiasm and can focus their efforts on achieving their full potential. At the end of the day, it’s all about improving people’s lives,” he said.
The device distribution is in addition to other expansive national social support by the energy company through food banks, hamper distributions, care packages, meals-on-wheels, school sanitisation, learning-based equipment and vaccination assistance.
Commending the efforts was Razina Maraj, principal of Ortoire RC Primary School: “Since early last year, bpTT has supported students in my school, and across the community, with these devices.
Aaron Whittaker, left, of Ortoire RC Primary School, proudly shows off the tablet he received to his father and siblings.
“My school is based in a rural area and the parents are extremely challenged; a reality made more acute given this pandemic. Adapting to a virtual learning environment was challenging, but these tablets have made a world of difference to students, especially those most in need.
“We’ve already seen the tangible benefits with the results of SEA, last year. The simple fact is that our community and our nation will benefit when we empower our future leaders to achieve their goals as bpTT has done.”
