ASJA, Atlantic team up to help pupils via Arrow Foundation

Twenty-five students from Point Fortin ASJA Primary School are benefiting from an interactive literacy intervention made possible by a partnership between Atlantic, the Arrow Foundation and the Ministry of Education.

With an intake ranging from standards one to four, student assessments were done in January and classes started from February. All the students will remain in the programme until they sit the Secondary Entrance Assessment (SEA) exam, a media release said.

Principal Jamila Ali-Khan says the programme has led to enhanced academic performance and an overall transformation in the outlook and attitudes of the students.

“Although only at the halfway stage, we have already seen improvements in the students based on their exam results and overall performance. This is especially critical for the students writing the SEA exams next year. The Arrow training utilises technology in an interactive way and incorporates the students’ own voices, which makes it even more effective and interactive. They are excited and enthusiastic to learn, and we are grateful for this critical intervention by Atlantic and the Arrow Foundation,” Ali-Khan said in the release.

Pupil Darien Williams said the programme has helped him to improve. “I enjoy using Arrow and it helps me with my spelling, reading, and writing. This has helped me to do better in my other subjects like maths, too.

"Using the computer to learn is fun, and now I am even helping my friends by showing them the new things I learn,” he said in the release.

This initiative at Point Fortin ASJA is a continuation of the long-standing relationship between Atlantic and the Arrow Foundation. Atlantic has sponsored Arrow learning interventions at various primary schools across the area, including Icacos Government, Egypt Village Government, Cap-de-Ville Government, and Salazar Trace Government, the release said.

Apart from the training, Atlantic has also provided support to the various schools, including supplying new laptops for the learning labs.

During a visit to the school recently, Atlantic's sustainability officer, sustainability and corporate communications Ian Ochoa said in the release, “Our community-based development initiatives always focus on unlocking the potential of young people through instilling sustainable skills. In fact, sustainability is a key concept in all our investments, which is why we focus heavily on education. Having impacted thousands of students over the years across many initiatives, we believe that we have invested in the sustainability of our nation by empowering its future leaders.

"This Arrow initiative is just a continuation of that trend and we have seen excellent results. With every successful student, the nation’s future is energised.”

Ochoa said the next phase of the Arrow project at Point Fortin ASJA would add to the sustainability of the programme. Through training teachers to become Arrow-certified tutors, the reach of the remedial literacy training will be expanded and enhanced.

In outlining its approach managing director of the Arrow Foundation Christopher Bonterre said the programme focuses on remedial work in reading, spelling, dictation, speech and listening skills. The computer-based learning applies the use of the self-voice – a recording of the learner’s own voice while reading – which forms the basis of the multi-sensory learning approach.

Bonterre said, “The focus is to assist students who experience academic challenges by transforming their entire approach to learning.

"Over the years, we have made tremendous progress across the southwest peninsula thanks to the partnership with Atlantic and the support of the Ministry of Education. This is an investment in the future – it is enhancing the ability of these students and unlocking the immense human resource potential inherent to the region.”