US Embassy donates tablets to students

Forty students will receive tablets to engage in virtual educational programmes as part of the US Embassy’s Safety Pitch pilot project in partnership with the Can Bou Play Foundation.

A media release said Safety Pitch is a US$38,000 three-month after-school pilot project in Diego Martin. It engages 40 primary school students from the Diamond Vale Government Primary and Patna/River Estate Government Primary schools in sporting activities and educational programmes.

Acting deputy chief of mission Joseph FitzGerald, at a brief handover ceremony at the Embassy’s Public Affairs Section, noted the programme started in February but was halted after five weeks due to covid19 restrictions.

“I am happy to provide these devices for the children’s use. I know under the guidance of the Can Bou Play facilitators there will be fascinating interactive programs to keep them engaged and improve their technical skills, especially as everything, including education, becomes virtual. Ambassador Joseph Mondello is also looking forward to visiting the sport camps when they resume,” said FitzGerald.

While accepting the tablets, Can Bou Play Foundation’s Yohance Marshall assured the embassy that students will receive the devices later this week and programming will begin shortly thereafter.

The Safety Pitch initiative is supported by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Sport, SporTT and the Urban Development Corporation of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (UDeCOTT).