Technology Push

The Aron & Christina Foundation Tablet Project continues to grow from strength to strength thanks to generous donors like Ryan and Ursula Pannell.

The Pannell’s who moved to Barbados five years ago from Canada have been ensuring that the children attending West Terrace Primary School have the opportunity to own a device.

Yesterday, 104 Kindle Fire Tablets were presented to Class 3 students.

“We have been here for five years now, and the reason why we donate to a number of schools through the tablet programme is actually an expression of gratitude,” said Ryan Pannell.

“Barbados has a system that allows us to come from Canada and then live here permanently and Barbados doesn’t have to do that. But, the fact that we were able to has changed our lives completely as well as our children and so we are very grateful for that.”

The Class 3s were selected because the Foundation felt that they are old enough to handle the responsibility of taking care of the devices, and that it will assist them with the two years of preparations for the Common Entrance Exam.

The Hedge Fund Manager also pointed out, “The games you play on the tablets are actually important because they do develop skills at an early age, that you can use later.”

“If you play Fortnite or Roadblock you are developing hand-eye coordination and depending on what version of the game you play, maybe some cooperation and working as a team. And those can be used in every job you will ever have,” Ryan Pannell stressed.

Aron Truss once again thanked the Pannell’s for their continued support to the project which was started back in 2009 targeting schools in rural areas which have not fully benefited from the Governments’ Edutech Programme, and where children may not have use of a computer at home.

“Christina and I are very aware that there are many parents in Barbados that cannot afford to provide their children with such a device – that is why we started this tablet project.”

“We feel very strongly that as many children in Barbados get the same opportunity, and therefore will be better able to go onto secondary school, and then university and have successful jobs and careers,” he said. (TL)