Ministry receives Morphun gifts for schools

THE Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation has received a donation of Morphun Junior Model Construction kits, which will aid children at the nursery and primary level in building their manipulative skills, whilst supporting Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education from an early age.

 

Martin Robinson, Head of Political, Press and Public Affairs at the British High Commission in Barbados, made the official hand over of the Morphun gifts to Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones, on behalf of Colin Simonds, Chief Designer at Morphun Education, who could not be present.

 

Robinson explained that Simonds, who heads the British company trading as Morphun, decided to make the presentation of the international award-winning construction kits, to celebrate his many visits to Barbados and his love of Barbados, in celebration of his own 65th birthday, which he held on island this year and to also celebrate Barbados’ 50th Anniversary of Independence.

 

“The gift consists of 72 kindergarten construction kits and 72 primary school level construction kits. 

 

The kits are from a small British company called Morphun Education. The range includes the international award-winning construction system, which has far greater creative and fun value and outstanding educational uses than other systems. This gift is the largest gift that Morphun has ever given,” Robinson remarked, during the brief handover ceremony held in the Ministry’s conference room yesterday.

 

Donation to help support STEM education

 

Graciously accepting the generous donation on behalf of the Government and people of Barbados, but more specifically, his Ministry, Minister Jones indicated that the Morphun construction kits would help to support STEM education in the schools and from an early age.

 

“These are manipulatives for kindergarten children, early childhood children and children in the early part of primary education. Even right through the entire period of primary education, (students) can use these manipulatives as part of our emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). We know that young children are highly creative and Mr. Simonds, through Morphun Ltd., his company, has been able to donate and present through Mr. Robinson to us here at the Ministry this morning, 144 essential kits,” Jones stated.

 

“(The concept) comes from the school of education called the constructivist model, where children are able to engage themselves, with guidance from the teacher of course, where they are able to engage themselves and go into designing and developing what they want. So you can make shapes from these things, you can construct diagrams, you can build houses. Who says that our future architects can’t come out of this particular exercise?” the Minister added.

 

Noting the ties between a number of British visitors and Barbados, Minister Jones expressed his hope that such friendships will continue and more support will be given to education in Barbados. He also thanked the British High Commission for its role in facilitating the process, to enable the handover of the gifts.