Over 430 Region Three families receive Gov’t laptops - as second Phase of 2012 distribution commences
Georgetown, GINA, September 10, 2012 -- Source - GINA
Four hundred and thirty seven Region Three families are today happy recipients of Government’s laptops under the One Laptop for Family (OLPF) programme. The OLPF Secretariat today commenced distribution of its second phase for this year.
At the Kawall Primary School, Canal Number Two Polder, 165 laptops were given out to qualifying recipients while 172 were distributed at the Wales Community Centre.
Recipients at the distribution exercise at the Kawall Primary School, Canal No.2 Polder, Region Three
The recipients also benefited from the first two hours of the mandatory ten-hour training sessions that they must complete before receiving complete ownership of their laptop.
This session which was conducted on site by OLPF trainers, mostly serves to expose the recipients to the laptop, most of whom are first-time users.
The distribution exercise will continue at various locations across Region Three until the end of September. Similar distribution exercises will commence across the country in Regions 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 10 and will run until the end of the year.
Community Liaison Supervisor, OLPF Secretariat Ganand
Chanderpaul explains the distribution process to the
recipients assembled at the Wales Community Centre,
Region Three
Approximately 2,438 laptops were distributed across the country during the first half of this year. In fact, as of the end of June 2012, a total of 11,149 of the devices were distributed under the programme since distribution began.
The OLPF programme remains one of the key components of Government’s Communication Strategy which is aimed at improving the social and economic welfare of all Guyanese.
The programme, pioneered by former President Bharrat Jagdeo was launched in 2011, to be implemented over a three -year period for the benefit of 90,000 less fortunate families. He believed that every Guyanese must have the skills to function in the world of tomorrow and, as such, pushed the implementation and development of ICT locally.
A recipient completes her identification process before
receiving her laptop
Scores of ICT labs have been constructed in secondary schools across the country and, the fiber optic cable from Brazil to Guyana will ensure that high speed internet becomes readily available and also create more jobs as more call centres will become operational.
ICT is being viewed as a knowledge based sector which has high value in today’s world given the volume of wealth it holds for the future, and it is one of the new sectors expected to generate greater disposable income for Guyanese and lead to the creation of thousands of jobs.
A recipient with his laptop
At present the devices are mostly being distributed to persons earning $50,000 or less, differently-abled and single parents.
The OLPF secretariat in May indicated that it was open to applications from persons earning up to $100,000.
The programme seeks to empower poor and working class Guyanese with the modern means of enhancing their education, livelihood and personal ambitions, through the use of computer technology.
Recipients undergoing the first two hours of their mandatory
ten-hour training sessions
The OLPF became a victim of the Opposition’s 2012 Budget cut in April, and shortly after, during the celebrations of Guyana and China’s 40th anniversary of their relations, the Chinese gifted Guyana 30,000 laptops through a US$8M grant-gift agreement.
Families joining the programme will inevitably come face to face with the infinite range of opportunities and possibilities for self-development, business and growth that reside in the global marketplace made possible through the world wide-web.
