B.E.L. upgrades computer lab at Holy Redeemer
Teachers and students at the nation’s primary schools may be preparing for exams and looking forward to a summer of academic freedom, but today in Belize City one school got a late semester gift that promises to make life better for future graduates.
The staff and students of Holy Redeemer Upper School took a break from their morning assembly, to celebrate an improvement in the quality of their education. The occasion was the official opening of the school’s computer lab and the donation of a brand new Pentium Computer by Belize Electricity Limited. The plan to set up the school’s computer lab was in the making for the past three years, but due to lack of funds to wire the building the program never did get off the ground, that is until B.E.L. stepped forward and did the job free of cost. According to public relations officer, Neville Samuels, power is not B.E.L.’s only business, as the company is also interested in the future of our children.
Neville Samuels, P.R., B.E.L.
“Clearly there is a desire for students to want to use the computer, clearly as the world has been revolutionalize in this computer age. Students themselves from an early age have realized that computers are an essential part in their development.
We all agree then that the computer is a learning tool, it is an educational resource and the Belize Electricity Limited supports education and learning. So when we were approached a while back by Mr. Acevedo to help out with computer network here we gladly accepted.”
Presently it is the standard six students who will utilize the computer lab. The students we spoke with, say their introduction to the indispensable technology has been worthwhile.
Yareni Alamina, 13 Years Old
“Well, I see it is a very good donation because now that we have computers in our school, it will be able to help our students, because when they go to high school, they don’t know anything about the computer and so from starting from primary school going up it is a very good idea.”
Jose Nuñez, 12 Years Old
“The computer class is helping me out in a way to realize the world has many geographical things, historical terms to learn about in life. It is not only to play games or to paint or to create stuff, but it’s also to learn and enjoy the computer working and there are also some games that really help you to release your mind. Solitaire is one, card games and so forth. There are games that you can think to realize what the world is really made of.”
Hugh Gotoy, 13 Years Old
“Before we had this, we had to go and do all those research in books, but now I just go onto the computers, look at what you want and use the printer to get your information. It’s very easy.”
Henry Cunningham, the administrator of the computer lab says there are plans to spread the electronic wealth.
Henry Cunningham, Administrator, Computer Lab
“This program just started, so right now only our standard six students are taking classes, but eventually we hope to get all our children involved, from standard four right through to six and we plan to teach them basic computer skills, keyboarding, the use of the computer.”
Presently there are five computers in the lab, but the school hopes to increase that number to fifteen as the number of students using the equipment is expected to rise from the present one hundred and fifteen to three hundred and fifty by September.
Faye Gillett, District Education Officer, in her address to the staff and students, was happy to report that for the third consecutive year Holy Redeemer Upper School has received an award of excellence in the field of education.
