PHILIPSBURG – On the occasion of World Telecommunications Day, UTS has committed to supporting 8 local schools, offering them high-speed broadband internet through its CaribServe broadband internet service. The schools are 8 local Catholic schools on the island and each school will be provided with a 10 Megabyte per second (10MBPS) connection to assist the schools in their aim of educating their many students. With technology playing a bigger role in the classroom than ever before, the need for a robust, high speed connection is more important than ever.
Technology increasingly important in education
“What better occasion than World Telecommunications Day and who better than CaribServe to assist these schools in achieving their goal of providing a well-rounded, engaging and interactive educational experience,” said UTS Marketing and Communication Officer Ivy Lambert.
“With the introduction of the Digi-board and other technological learning tools, education has become a much more interactive experience. Even in the earliest stages of education, kids are now learning in a more interactive and visual way. The youngest generation handles technology and devices as if it is second nature to them, so it only makes sense to use technology as a tool in learning as well. I can speak to the added value of technology in the classroom from personal experience as well. Not only does it support learning in the classroom; apps like ClassDojo allow parents to stay informed of classroom activities, monitor performance, behavior and communicate with the teacher directly during the school day. Information on homework assignments are also easily disseminated through this app. You have a direct line to your child’s teacher and vice-versa through your smartphone or computer. That added line of communication and information helps parents continue the learning at home as well,” Lambert continued.
UTS’ broader support for education
The 8 schools that will receive the high speed connections are Catholic schools located in different districts of the island, such as Cul-de-Sac, South Reward, Middle Region, Philipsburg and Simpson Bay, which means that children from many households will have the benefit of the increase in internet speed at school. Increased usage in technology also requires a more robust, reliable connection, which is the reason CaribServe will be providing a connection of 10Mbps.
Aside from the 8 new connections, UTS was already providing its technology to support several other schools within the scope of another technology based educational program, which is the Digikidz initiative. This program uses a combination of tablets, digital school boards and other technological learning tools to provide classroom, individual and group-based learning with a strong emphasis on and supported by technology.
The program is already up and running at two primary schools on the island and has been deemed a great success by educators and students alike. The program is ongoing at the Hillside Christian School, Asha Stephens Campus and the Seventh Day Adventist School in Cole Bay. Soon the Hillside Christian School, H. Snijders Campus will also be added to the program and UTS supports all three schools with a high speed, reliable internet connection that is essential for the success of program.
“The program is a fully managed IT-environment that depends heavily on a high quality internet connection beyond the basic connection most schools have,” said UTS Eastern Caribbean CEO Glen A. Carty.
“The program is very successful in engaging the students and we commend veteran educator Mrs. Jose Sommers and her team of the Foursee Foundation on the hard work and dedication in implementing the program. Our partnership is a recipe for success with more collaborations to come in future!” Carty continued.
“On Telecommunications Day, we also invite our customers or anyone interested in any of our services to touch base with us. Let us help you where we can to use technology to improve upon your life. So many things are possible, but maybe you’re not sure how something works or need help setting up some of the features of your smartphone. Maybe you want to try our new mobile internet because you’ve heard it’s the fastest on the island, or maybe you had trouble setting up an app or service. Technology helps connect you to the things and people that matter to you and we’re here to help you with that if needed. Our friendly agents are available by phone at +1(721) 588-1010, by email at infosxm@uts.sx or through Facebook at ChippieSXM,” Carty concluded.
