560 third formers in high schools get laptops

Republic of China (Taiwan) Resident Ambassador His Excellency Miguel Tsao (right) presents one of the 2,400 laptops to St. Kitts and Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (center) and St. Kitts and Nevis’ Minister of Information Technology and Youth Empowerment, Hon. Glenn Phillip (left).

BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS, JANUARY 25TH2012 (CUOPM) – Hundreds of students in the third forms of the high schools in St. Kitts and Nevis began receiving their laptops this week.

The distribution to the third formers on Wednesday coincides with the second anniversary of there-election of the St. Kitts-Nevis Labour Party to an unprecedented fourth consecutive term of office.

Today (Wednesday), 61 third-formers at the Verchilds High School, 99 at the Charles E. Mills Secondary School, 22 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic School and 5 at the St. Kitts Preparatory School received their laptops.

On Tuesday, 168 third formers at the Washington Archibald High School and 68 at the Cayon High School received laptops.

On Monday, 143 laptops were distributed to third formers at the Basseterre High School.

Third-formers in Nevis as well as all Second and First formers in Nevis and St. Kitts are expected to get theirs early to mid- February.

Fifth and fourth forms of high schools in St. Kitts and in Nevis received their personal laptops in June and September last year. 73 third formers at the Saddlers Secondary School also received laptops last September.

St. Kitts and Nevis’ Prime Minister Hon. Dr. Denzil Douglas (left) expressing thanks to Resident Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) His Excellency Miguel Tsao. (Photos by Erasmus Williams)

Assistance in financing the One-to-One Laptop Computer Initiative came from the Republic of China (Taiwan).

Prime Minister the Rt. Hon. Dr. Denzil L. Douglas in accepting the financing for the 2,400 laptops for phase three – third to first formers – said the One-to-One Lap Top Computer Initiative is not simply empowering the individual student but the entire household, community and nation.

“I think that Nevisian and Kittitian student is going to develop skills which would be critically important in advancing St. Kitts and Nevis technologically. That child will not only be developing those skills at home, but also the sister, the brother, the mother, the father, the entire family is going to be empowered,” said Prime Minister Douglas.

He said the assistance of the Government and People of the Republic of China puts St. Kitts and Nevis on the path towards a technological revolution and it is only time that will show the enormous benefits that will accrue.

Phase One of the programme saw the distribution of over 1200 laptops to outgoing students in the Fifth Forms of the Charlestown Secondary School and the Gingerland Secondary School on Nevis and the Verchild’s High School, the Basseterre High School, the Washington Archibald High School, the Charles E. Mills Secondary School, the Cayon High School, the Immaculate Conception Catholic School and the St. Christopher Preparatory School on St. Kitts.