Tech labs for special-needs schools

FIVE special-needs schools have been selected to receive state-of-the-art technology labs through the Digicel Foundation’s Innovation Lab programme.

The labs have been designed to increase accessibility to the digital world for people with disabilities, enhancing access to information and opening new avenues for people with disabilities to participate in society on an equal basis, a media release said.

Conceived as a one-year initiative to commemorate the Digicel Foundation’s ten-year anniversary in 2022, the foundation launched a second call for applications earlier this year to ensure technological advancement remains at the forefront for special-needs communities across Trinidad and Tobago, the release said.

After a rigorous selection process, the five schools selected to receive the labs are Lady Hochoy School Gasparillo, Princess Elizabeth Primary School, Palmeras Learning Centre, The School for the Blind and the National Centre for Persons with Disabilities (NCPD), the release said.

Principal of Palmeras Learning Centre Earlene Phillips expressed her appreciation for the lab programme.

She said in the release, “We express our deepest gratitude to The Digicel Foundation for selecting our school as one of the recipients of the 2024 Innovation Labs. Access to technology will allow us to introduce innovative learning experiences tailored to our students' unique needs, fostering creativity and providing a more inclusive learning environment. Your support demonstrates a profound commitment to the future of education and will make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students and their families.”

Through projects such as this one, the Digicel Foundation said it continues to champion the cause of inclusivity and provide the tools necessary for students with disabilities to thrive in a rapidly evolving digital world.

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