Chilean Ambassador, H.E. Alfredo García, presented laptop computers and computer equipment to the Independence City Primary School recently.

"The donation is a gift from Chile to Jamaica and a gift from the children of Chile to the children of Jamaica to enhance their education," said García at a handover ceremony at the school.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Arnaldo Brown, was pleased by the gesture.

"The embassy has donated laptops and other computer equipment valued at approximately US$15,000, which is a significant contribution to the school," said Brown, who is also the member of parliament (MP) for the newly formed East Central St Catherine seat. He also stressed the importance of the youth in his community and he didn't leave them out. The East Central Marching band paraded its skills as the guests and the students looked on during the ceremony.

Independence City Primary School, formerly Independence City All-Age School, was built in the mid-1970s to accommodate 800 students. It currently has 929 students on roll from communities mainly in Portmore, Kingston, and Spanish Town.

The school has managed to raise its Grade Four Literacy Test results, from 69 per cent in 2010 to 80 per cent in 2011. It is hoped that with the additional computers, the school's performance in both the Grade Four tests and the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) will be improved.

"These computers will enhance our reading programme since we use computer programmes for phonetic skills, and the ones we had before were older models with no sound," explained the school's vice-principal, Audrey Young.

The computers will also be used to assist the GSAT-age children's access to GoGSAT online while in class. The principal, Jasenta O'Connor, was also grateful for the gift as it gives her teachers more equipment to assist with their students' learning.

The donation included laptops scanners, printers, overhead projectors, and other computer equipment. This donation of computer equipment to a Jamaican school is the first such gesture by Chile to Jamaica.