This month in April, Caribbean Education Foundation (CEF) team members are traveling to Jamaica to finalize space decisions for the Learning Center. Our goal is to open the Center in September!
We have also teamed up with some very hard-working management students at Bryant University in Rhode Island, to help CEF get the necessary supplies for the Center. The students are hosting a number of events both on and off campus to raise supplies we need to get the Center off to a great start!
As you know, Caribbean Education Foundation added six (6) new Paul Bogle Scholarship recipients to our roster of students (CEF Scholars) who need exposure to technology and homework space! The Learning Center will
serve our 18 scholarship recipients, but will also reach additional cohort of up to 5,000 underprivileged children each year.
We have also received the last term grade reports from CEF Scholars, and are excited to tell you that they are continue to do very well in high school. Our 6 new recipients are also doing very well. Imagine if these children had
the Learning Center with meaningful exposure to technology - - they would be unstoppable!
If you recall from our last project report, one of our new scholars, Daniellia, had to relocate to the countryside and forfeit her dream school, that she passed her exam to attend. Her mother died suddenly and her dream school is located in the city of Kingston. She had to move to live with her grandmother in the country, as her father does not have the resources to take care of her and the additional children. As you can imagine, this has been an extremely a difficult transition on many levels, particularly for a 12 year-old girl. When CEF team spoke to her about the new school, Daniellia found it to be very challenging - - she wondered if she could do as well there. Well, we are excited to report that she is doing excellent in all her classes! She is an "A" student at a very challenging high school.
CEF is counting on your financial assistance to get the center up and running so that we can continue to help Daniellia and other students to excel too. Please make a donation to the Learning Center Project today!
Recurring Donations: it is very important to get recurring donors to our project.
We will update you once our team returns from to Jamaica.
Thank you for your generosity.
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Happy Holidays!
The Caribbean Education Foundation, Inc. (CEF) awarded Paul Bogle Scholarship to 18 brilliant children in financial need to attend High Schools in Jamaica for 2012-2013 school year. These Paul Bogle Scholarships total in excess of $2 Million Jamaican dollars.
BOSTON, Massachusetts: The Caribbean Education Foundation, Inc. (CEF) has awarded its 2012 Paul Bogle Scholarships to 18 brilliant children to attend high schools: 7 new children in financial need who passed the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) to attend High Schools in Jamaica; renewed 11 scholarships for its 2011 and 2010 recipients who entered grades 8 and 9. The 18 Scholarships total over $2 Million Jamaican dollars.
Paul Bogle Scholarships are awarded to qualified and talented children who graduated from Primary Schools and passed their exams to attend High Schools but are in financial need, and/or could be in danger nonattendance due to lack of financial resources. The Scholarship pays: school fees, text books, school supplies, uniforms, shoes, transportation and lunch for the 2012-2013 school year. Scholarships are renewable each year of if the student meets the required criteria of daily attendance, solid academics (at least a “B” Average) and good character.
The scholarship recipients satisfied the Paul Bogle Scholarship strict requirements: high academics (at least a “B” grade point average); passed Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT); evidence of financial need; and solid production of four prescribed essays.
The Caribbean Education Foundation maintains high standards for its scholarship recipients. As is evidenced from the high caliber of students who are awarded Paul Bogle Scholarships, CEF Scholars are among the best and brightest in Jamaica. In addition, they are attending some of the best High Schools throughout the country.
Space for Learning Center - Narrowing Down Options
As you know, Caribbean Education Foundation has been working on locating a suitable space for the CEF Learning & Technology Center in Kingston. We have intensified the task, since CEF has added a number of additional Paul Bogle Scholarship recipients to our roster of students who need our assistance with technology and a great space for homework! We should finalized a suitable space location in the next couple of months.
CEF is counting on your financial assistance to get the space sooner than later, so that we can start helping children succeed in supplemental learning and technology. Please make a donation to the Learning Center Project today!
Thank you for your generosity.
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for the New Year!
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Caribbean Education Foundation (CEF) is urgently seeking space to host our Children Learning & Technology Center in Kingston. Our team have been looking at some central locations, because CEF will serve hundreds of students coming from various schools throughout Kingston and St. Andrew with this first Learning Center. Thus far, we find that Half-Way Tree or Cross Roads areas are good locations, because children would not have to travel too far to get there. CEF understands the urgency and ned to begin the center as soon as possible. Of course, without good space, we are unable to begin the process.
A number of our scholarship recipients are having difficulty with their homework assignments due to the lack of computers and ability to print. As a result, their grades suffer. For example, Rav has not been able to turn in his homework assignments on time, because his family does not have a printer at home. In addition, the family does not have funds to pay for printing at the local internet cafe. Printing at these facilities cost money that poor children do not possess. Therefore, Rav is losing important homework marks, which is affecting his grades.
On the good news front, CEF has some commitments to provide computers for our Learning Center and we are extremely grateful. However, we need more support in that area as well.
We expect to locate a suitable space very soon and will update you once it happens. Please continue to support our initiative by making a tax-deductible contribution to the Learning Center today! Thank you for your assistance.
13 Computers for 1100 Students? CEF Primary School Tour shows the Learning Center is Critical for Students' Progress
In May 2012, as part of CEF's “Child’s Month” initiative, Caribbean Education Foundation’s representatives traveled to Jamaica and conducted a tour of 10 Primary Schools in Kingston, St. Andrew, St. Catherine and St. Thomas. We met with school leaders including Principals, Teachers and Counselors; visited classrooms and resource areas such as Libraries and Computer Labs. Sadly, most primary schools have minimal libraries or resources, if such a room existed. Furthermore, computer areas were virtually nonexistent. For the few schools with computer labs, the number of computers were minimal, others were non-working and/or outdated. For example, at Alpha Primary School, its one tiny computer lab contains 13 computers for 1,100 students! We saw thousands of children who have no access or minimal access to technology. Unfortunately, when these students graduate from Primary School and enter to High School, the access to computers will not be much greater. As a result, they will be severely lacking in techological abilities, which cripples their chances to compete on a global level.
The Caribbean Education Foundation, Inc. (CEF) is a registered 501(c)(3) tax-deductible nonprofit organization based in the United States. CEF’s mission is to provide poor children with meaningful access to education in Jamaica, the Caribbean and developing world. The current mission country is Jamaica. Children cannot attend school if they are unable to pay school fees and expenses. Currently, CEF awards academic scholarships to poor students so they are able to attend high schools. The CEF “Paul Bogle Scholarships” pays students’ school fees, textbooks, school supplies, uniforms, lunch and transportation.
The goals of CEF are three-fold:
Caribbean Education Foundation is addressing two goals listed above by providing academic scholarships to individual students. The ultimate goal of CEF is to produce and increase the number and caliber of the region’s intellectual capital to compete on a global scale. Intellectual capital will translate into the social and economic progress in the region.
THE PROBLEM
Hundreds of thousands of children in Jamaica do not have access to technology and possess low literacy skills. Due to the sheer number of children in financial need, addressing all CEF’s goals is a severe challenge. In particular, the third goal of computer technological skills and literacy needs a path forward.
As a result of extreme poverty, thousands of Jamaican students, including many CEF Scholarship recipients, are unable to conduct research at home for homework, because they lack computers, regular electricity and/or internet access in their homes. And, the few children with computers are unable to print their papers and projects at home due to a lack of printers.
Many children in the inner-city communities of Kingston, Jamaica have limited opportunities to develop the basic skills necessary to improve their own lives.
According to the latest Jamaica Education Report:
HIGH SCHOOL (CRITICAL PROBLEM): children 11 years old to 17 years old
PRIMARY SCHOOL: children 6 years old to 11 years old
THE LEARNING CENTER PROVIDES A SOLUTION
This CEF Learning Center will address the educational needs of thousands of children in Kingston, Jamaica and provide them with the opportunity to excel in school, succeed in the community and thrive in the global world. The Center will serve the entire student population who are in financial need, not only CEF scholarship recipients. As a result, CEF will be able to help many more children achieve literacy, technological skills and mastery in school.
Thousands of children will benefit from having a free Learning, Literacy, Technology and Resource Center. This facility will provide free access to computers, reliable internet access, electricity and a library as well as reliable space to conduct ongoing literacy education and tutoring.
The Learning Center will be equipped with computers and offer free computer training to children as well as provide a well-lit space for homework, reading and specialized tutoring in subject areas that need work such as Literacy, Mathematics and Science. A small library at the center will serve as a resource and will be equipped with Student Study Guides, Southwestern Student Handbooks, textbooks, reading books, foreign language books, newspapers and global periodicals such as the Economist, National Geographic and Financial Times.
LONG TERM IMPACT: GLOBAL PROGRESS
This CEF Learning Center will enable children to thrive in school, Jamaica and in a global world. Through students’ excelling in their education, the communities of Kingston can be transformed, because as students learn new technology and information, they will be able to use them to improve conditions in the community and Jamaica. The ultimate goal of CEF is to produce and increase the number and caliber of the region’s intellectual capital to compete on a global scale. Intellectual capital will translate into the social and economic progress in the region.
According to Nikiki Bogle, Esq., the President & CEO of Caribbean Education Foundation, "The CEF Learning Center will welcome children into a technology culture so they can compete on a global scale and be equipped with the necessary educational skills to improve their own lives."
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