A total of 132 writing tablets were on Friday donated to the Mocha Primary School, East Bank Demerara to improve the writing skills of students.
The Youth in Focus Foundation, a local non-profit organisation that focuses on education and development of young people and children presented the books – the K5 Abeka Writing Tablet Manuscript – to the school.
These books will be distributed among the students in Grades 1 to 6 who need assistance with improving their writing skills. They are similar to locally used writing books but have added guidelines for teachers or parents and extra writing lines for the formation of the letters.
According to the foundation’s president, Rolston Elliott, the Amazonia Mall partnered with them on the project.
“We do believe in the development of our young people and we also believe in improving the lives of our young people within our community.
“The fastest way is through education and so we reached out to the Headmistress of the school to assist the children with their reading and writing skills. We also reached out to Amazonia – they donated these books,” Elliott said.
He said the most important way an organisation can sustain a community is by focusing on the development of the children.
Meanwhile, Vanessa Thumbler-Moore, the school’s head teacher said the contribution was greatly needed.
“I encountered a child using the book to assist in forming letters and since we [teachers] encountered children having problems forming letters to write their names, I recommended this book to help the children with forming their letters,” Thumbler-Moore said.
Moore added that the foundation approached the school and offered to assist with tools to improve the education programmes there. It was then that she raised the need for some students to be able to work on their writing.
“Sometimes even the Grade Six children do not form their letters properly, so if we can start now it will help us a great lot.
“This is not really in the public school. I observed a child using it in the private school and I think if we need to move forward in assisting our children, it will help them,” she said.
She also explained that there are several students who were observed to have difficulties with the formation of letters. She said the books will be used now and some will be kept for when more students are registered.
Moore also said she is very grateful for the investment into the school. She acknowledged that the Education Ministry has commenced a good literacy programme for public schools but she said the addition of these books should be considered across the board.
