Intelco brings Gwen Liz into digital age
The promise of an educational infrastructure for the digital age came one step closer to reality today. And although my notebook was an old-fashioned pad of paper, the story still managed to get covered.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This afternoon Gwen Lizarraga High School in Belize City became the first secondary institution in the country to benefit from the Internet for Schools program between the Government of Belize and Intelco.
Kimano Barrow, Project Manager, Intelco
“Today, we hand over seventeen computers to the computer lab these computers are being connected to the first high speed wireless telecommunication link in Belize, thus giving all students the benefit of accessing the information super highway. This endeavour will also increase the capacity of all those who utilise this lab to successfully participate in global activities, thereby enabling all Belizeans to keep in touch with the outside ever-changing world.”
According to Principal Dawn Henry, the new machines will be a welcome addition to the school’s facilities for both the students and the community.
Dawn Henry, Acting Principal, Gwen Lizarraga
“Originally we had about eleven computers in our lab, and the students that work with the computers, the class size is anywhere from thirty to thirty-five, and so the students were seated two at a time to each computer. So having seventeen computers will definitely make a different for us, they’re very much needed.
The teachers know how to use the computers, the children know how to use the computers. What happen is having the Internet, now the children will be able to do research, like go to virtual libraries and check different websites. For example, we’re having a school open-day that is coming up, and so they could go to the different educational sites to get ideas on their projects that they want to work on. So it’s just to search the web to get additional information. And as I understand it, the computers will be used also for an Internet café for the community. So other students in the area can come here and surf in the evenings.”
For many of the high school students, the free Internet access holds endless possibilities.
Theodore Augustine, Third Form Student
“This is actually my first time going on the Internet. To be at this school to be at our disposal, we could use it anytime we want. It will be for the best, I guess I can learn it.”
Janelle Chanona
“So what sites are you going to be checking out today?”
Theodore Augustine, Third Form Student
“I going to check out one of the government sites. I always wanted to know what my country has accomplished over the years.”
Carla Flowers, Fourth Form Student
“I feel that we will improve. We got better computers.”
Janelle Chanona
“You like surfing on the Internet?”
Carla Flowers, Fourth Form Student
“Yes.”
Janelle Chanona
“What kinds of sites do you go to?”
Carla Flowers, Fourth Form Student
“www.getsmart.com.”
But because more than a few criminals are smart enough to know a good thing when they see it, security is a major issue. Principal Henry is confident the valuable computers will be well guarded.
Dawn Henry
“Gwen Lizarraga High has twenty four hour security, so that’s not a problem for us. We are used to people coming in the evenings and use our computers, because we have adult educational classes for computers in the evenings, so it’s no difference for us.”
Through this programme, the service inaugurated today at Gwen Liz will be available in every school and public library in the country by year’s end.
In exchange for the school computer donation, Intelco will be the exclusive provider of government telecommunications for the next fifteen years.
