An Educational Resource Centre, catering to the technological and other learning needs of the over 600 students at Charles F. Broome Memorial Primary School, will open on Wednesday, October 16 ??? thanks to the school???s Parent Teachers??? Association (PTA).

The role played by this body was emphasised recently as President of the PTA, Ayo Burrowes gave the Barbados Government Information Service the background and rationale behind the Centre.

She noted that the PTA ???has always worked integrally with the school??? committed as it is to the mission statement of providing ???a viable support service to the school through a unified, informed and dedicated Parent-Teacher body???.

According to her, in January 2012, the PTA sought permission from the Ministry of Education to develop and erect the centre on the grounds of the school stressing then, that ???it would give the school access to the literature and information technology resources needed to advance the learning and research capabilities of all students and teachers???.

She added: ???The PTA already had the sum of $25,000 which had been set aside on fixed deposit to provide a library for the school ??? an initiative of a past PTA executive a few years ago. These funds along with the fund-raising drives over the last two years got the project going in August of 2012.

As the Centre developed, funds were also generated through partnerships with corporate entities such as Legacy Foundation and LIME.
When the Educational Resource Centre becomes fully operational next week, it will accommodate a class of up to 32 pupils, each with fully networked laptops and provide substantive exposure to information and communication technology.

Additionally, with the school currently without a library, this new resource centre will allow for centralised access to the many books, owned by Charles F. Broome. It will provide a quiet, comfortable setting in which a teacher or counsellor may give individual attention to students with learning challenges as well as give students and teachers the tools and environment to conduct research.

Mrs. Burrowes, in expressing her pleasure at seeing the project come to fruition said: ???The PTA will work with the school to ensure that there is optimal utilisation of the Centre by children from the Infants department until they complete their Primary Education.

???The PTA is happy to note that the school has already timetabled Information Technology for nine classes this term. While the logistics may prove challenging initially, it is the PTA???s hope that all teachers and all classes be rostered to use the Centre in any given week.???

Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Ronald Jones, is expected to officially open the Educational Resource Centre at the school on Government Hill, on Wednesday, October 16, at 10:00 a.m.

joy-ann.gill@barbados.gov.bb

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