Yet another pan yard has joined the Digicel Foundation’s Technology in Education programme, as the initiative continues to expand its reach across the country.
The latest addition was marked at a launch on Friday at the Birdsong Panyard in St Augustine.
The Digicel Foundation, alongside Pan Trinbago and steel band leaders, welcomed the newest pan yard into the Technology in Education, or TIE programme.
The initiative upgrades panyards with computers and digital tools, transforming them into technology and learning centres for surrounding communities.
Public Relations Officer at Pan Trinbago, Kwesi Moore said the importance of the pan yard cannot be understated, and thanked Digicel for their continued commitment to empowering these spaces.
“These technology and education centers are not just rooms with computers and equipment. They are spaces where ideas are formed. skills are sharpened, and opportunities are created.
Through this program, 26, a whopping 26, panyards are now part of a growing national network of digital learning hubs. More importantly, hundreds of young musicians have been impacted, young people who are now better equipped to navigate both the musical and technological landscapes of the modern world.”
Chairman of Birdsong, Clément Imbert, said while the pan yard already has computers, the number of units will significantly increase with the Digicel Foundation partnership, escalating students’ and members’ access to technology.
“But this particular initiative of Digicel is very important because it extends what we were doing in a small way before. And it also shows the importance that Digicel as a corporate entity shows to the development of steel pan, most important development of children, development of people who play the pan. Because others who are not children who are in our orchestra will be free to use the steel pan.”
The St. Margaret’s Boys Anglican School currently stands as the only school to receive a Digicel TIE sponsorship.
Acting principal Dave Phillips said this partnership will be beneficial to all students, especially those with learning disabilities.
“Because we are looking at different aspects of learning, especially for our weak students and for the pan -students as well, we are seeing that this partnership will help our students who are weak readers, who are slow learners, to be able to use this facility to continue their development.”
Through Digicel Foundation’s TIE programme, 26 pan yards have been upgraded into digital learning hubs.Digicel Upgrades Bird Song Panyard With Digital Tools.