LIME and Digicel both make Donations of Tablets to Preparatory and Primary Schools - How Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark started a Love for Computer Programming Languages in Jamaica

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 19:14, King James Version (KJV)

Both Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel in the first part of the Month of April 2013, made gestures that indicate that they may all be going to Heaven. While they're on they're way to heaven, I wish to be renamed Dr. Indiana Jones, as this is my original suggestion, actually.

Apple iPads and Apple iPad Minis were donated by Telecom Provider LIME to the kids at the Praise Tabernacle Christian Academy located off Molynes Road in St. Kingston as reported in “Praise Tab using tablets to learn”, published Monday | April 8, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner. Apparently the Apple iPads and Apple iPad Mini are not free, as the Parents have to pay for them on a Payment Plan.

Telecom Provider LIME, really? 

Not to be outdone, the following day (or is really the same day??), Telecom Provider Digicel donated fifty six (56) Huawei Media Pads 7 Lite, valued at some JA$1.1 million dollars to seven (7) East Kingston Schools as reported in the article “Seven Primary Schools in East Kingston Get Tablet Computers”, published Tuesday, 09 April 2013 11:37, Written by JIS, The Jamaica Information Service.

The local newspapers The Jamaica Gleaner and The Jamaica Observer also provided coverage and more details “Digicel donates tablets to Kingston, Port Royal schools”, published Tuesday April 9, 2013, The Jamaica Gleaner and “Digicel donates tablets to 7 city schools”, published Wednesday, April 10, 2013, The Jamaica Observer. 

Their donation appeared to be more higher profile than the silent and somewhat very expensive gesture by Telecom Provider LIME, as it had GOJ (Government of Jamaica) blessing with the presence of Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites and State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson.

The Lucky 7 East Kingston Schools that received Telecom Provider Digicel:

1.      Elletson Road Primary

2.      Holy Rosary Primary

3.      Norman Gardens Primary

4.      Rollington Town Primary

5.      Windward Road Primary and Junior High

6.      Rennock Lodge Primary

7.      Port Royal Primary and Infant Schools 

In spirit, if not in heart, they BOTH agree with the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites and State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson as both Tablet donations are packed with educational software. Heck, I’ll even overlook the fact that the 9.7” Apple iPad is way too large for Preparatory and Primary School Students, who’ll probably smash ‘em all up by the end of the year (lol, parents, get the7” Apple iPad Mini next time!!).

Ditto too the fact that the Huawei Media Pads 7 Lite has lackluster Battery life of four and a half (4 ½ hrs) as reported in “Huawei Media Pad 7 Lite: The next big, little thing”, published Tuesday, December 04, 2012, The Jamaica Observer. They’re probably very excited as for many; it’s probably their first Computing device…like ever.

This as it relates to my suggestion on this blog of having Preparatory and Primary School Students receive Tablets as stated in my blog article entitled “UWI Medical Sciences Students get deal on JL Mobile SmartTab Tablets and cheaper ebook versions of Textbooks - From Gross Anatomy to Islandwide Push towards Tablet Adoption”.

After all, if the GOJ is doing it to save on paper and reduce bureaucracy as concluded in my blog article entitled “GOJ Parliamentarians upgraded to Microsoft Surface Tablets and GovNET Wide Area Network - Minister Paulwell efforts to reduce paper may accelerate Jamaican Tablet Adoption”, why not introduce it to Preparatory and Primary School Students? Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel seem to agree with this logic, and have effectively via this gesture, kick-started Jamaica into the 21^st century with this donation of Tablets towards their education.

In the process, were the Ministry of Education to adopt the above and synchronize it to GovNET, they can change the curriculum of Preparatory and Primary School in Jamaica to make Computer Programming mandatory language, like Spanish or French. Thus the following are necessary for a True Science and Technology Society:

1.      Mathematics

2.      English A and B

3.      Language: Spanish or French and Computer Programming

4.      History: World and Caribbean

Programming is the language which one uses to speak to machines at their level as argued in my blog article entitled “The Evolution of the Raspberry Pi Computer into a Mainstream Wearable Computer - How to teach Computer Programming using Flying Sword of Dragon Gate” . It would spur the development of an App Economy in Jamaica as also argued in my Geezam blog article entitled “Smartphones and Apps – Freemium Games are No. 1”, creating entrepreneurs out of young High School leavers who by then would have upgrade to a better Tablet Computer or Laptop.

This would make it possible that by High School, many Preparatory and Primary School Students, armed with Tablets, would already have marketable Jobs skills to obtain work in CARICOM (Caribbean Community),  Latin America, Canada or the US of A: a language, be it French or Spanish and Computer Programming.

The Government of India is already doing likewise with the State sponsored Aakash Tablet made by DataWind in July 2010 to introduce Computing to its Preparatory and Primary School Students as reported originally in my Geezam blog article entitled “$25 Raspberry Pi Mini USB PC and the $22 Aakash Tablet – Computer Adoption on a Budget”.

They’ve since upgraded to the Aakash 2 in November 2012, which is further subsidized to the price of US$20 as stated in the article “India unveils new version of 'world's cheapest tablet'”, published November 12, 2012, PhysOrg.

Thus this gesture is indeed indication that BOTH Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel may be jointly bidding of one of the Two (2) 700MHz Spectrum to build-out an islandwide 4G LTE (Long Term Evolution)100MBps capable Wireless Broadband Network.  I had concluded this in my blog article entitled “LIME outsources Network Maintenance to Ericsson - The Lone Rangers in Telecoms may have to Tag Team to get a 700Mhz license for 4G LTE” as the CAPEX makes it prohibitively expensive foe any SINGLE telecom Provider to go it alone.

So this is how it starts for certain, as the future I really in the childrens’ hands, not hours. Via this donation Telecom Provider LIME and Telecom Provider Digicel have not only guaranteed themselves a place in heaven, which is ruled by children, but have also restored the faith of Jamaicans in the Telecoms Community as it relates to their long-term intentions for 4G LTE.

It should also make the Minister of Education Ronald Thwaites and State Minister for Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hon. Julian Robinson explored the possibility of expanding this program to the rest of the island, jump starting a love for Languages and Computer Programming necessary for a Science and Technology Society.

It can’t be the case that Med Sci Students are the only one to benefit from the lower cost of books via the use of Tablets as stated in my blog article entitled “UWI Medical Sciences Students get deal on JL Mobile SmartTab Tablets and cheaper ebook versions of Textbooks - From Gross Anatomy to Islandwide Push towards Tablet Adoption”.

Therefore, Dear Reader, bear witness to these events recorded herein: How Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981) started a Love for Computer Programming Languages in Jamaica.