ENRICHMENT INITIATIVE MoU LAUNCH

Background: The Enrichment Initiative is an island-wide Information and Communication Technology (ICT) partnership with the Ministry of Education (MoE) in support of the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) of 100% literacy by 2015. The project’s design twins ICTs and more individualised instruction for students in grades one through three who are having extreme difficulties in achieving their grade level in reading. Assessments are used to ascertain current reading levels as well as any special learning needs or challenges students may have. Differentiated teaching methodologies are employed to entice students and ‘enrich’ the learning and teaching experience that address the identified learning needs of students. Beginning with 12 schools in 2009, the Enrichment Programme is now being implemented in over 100 schools across the island. Digicel Foundation’s Involvement: In 2013, the Digicel Foundations formed a partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to expand the initiative to an additional 95 schools over three years. Thirty-one schools from four educational regions have been selected to receive the intervention in the first year of this expansion. On July 25, the principals from schools in region 4 have been invited to their regional office to sign their MoU’s signifying their receipt of the intervention and pledge to uphold the related activities and responsibilities in their school and school community.