The Caribbean Maritime University received a donation of eighteen laptops from the American Caribbean Maritime Foundation (ACMF) to assist with reducing the digital gap that exists in online learning brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
With this contribution, several CMU students who lack access to computers at home will soon have the tools they need to participate in online teaching and learning as the University continues to deliver classes remotely.
“This is a great donation that came at the right time,” Prof. Noel Brown, Vice President of Technology and Innovation said during the handover exercise on Thursday. In August, the University announced that all classes for the current semester will be conducted online. “These computers will be loaned to needy students so they can continue their teaching and learning activities at the University,” Prof. Brown further explained.
Meanwhile Nahjae Nunes, CMU’s Students’ Union Vice President, Education, was specifically grateful for the donation as he believes it would go far in ‘reducing the digital divide’ among the student population. “As an executive member of the Students’ Union, we are particularly grateful for this contribution, it is indeed timely, and I can assure the ACMF that it will be put to its fullest use in the advancement of all our students,” Nahjae expressed.
Also present to witness the handover exercise were Prof. Evan Duggan, Interim President and Prof. Ibrahim Ajagunna, Deputy President.
The contribution follows a scholarship donation, stewarded by the ACMF, which aims to ‘improve access to maritime education and training through financial contributions from the Foundation.’ Earlier in October, eighteen students received scholarships to cover the remainder of their academic years at the University.
The CMU has over the years established a collaborative relationship with the ACMF. The CEO, Dr. Geneive Brown Metzger recently led a call for additional donors to support the Foundation that has, as its mission, to ‘alleviate poverty and transforming lives in the Caribbean through maritime education and community development.’
“We owe a debt of gratitude to ACMF benefactors Roland Malins-Smith and Tower Isle Frozen Foods for making these scholarships possible,” says Dr. Brown Metzger.
Corporate entities, individuals and groups wishing to donate to the Foundation—can do so by visiting the website https://www.acmfdn.org/donate/
