One Laptop per Child Reaches Jamaica Annie Paul Recently I had a conversation with Sameer Verma of San Francisco State Uni-versity about an innovative venture he’s involved with — the One Laptop per Child pro-ject. Verma, an open source software (OSS) activist, was invited by Professor Evan Duggan, Executive Director of the Mona School of Business and new Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of the West Indies, Mona, whom he went to school with, to spearhead the OLPC project in Jamaica. According to the OLPC Jamaica website: OLPC Jamaica is a general interest group for the One Laptop per Child initiatives in Jamaica. The group started at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona Campus, Jamaica on 5th September, 2008. Compelled by the belief that the OLPC has considerable potential for enhancing the efficient delivery, and improved Pedagogy in early childhood education in Jamaica, OLPC Jamaica intends to foster interest, generate ideas and learn from experiences about OLPC both on the UWI campus and in its neighboring communities. The Group is currently embarked on deployment pilots of the OLPC concept in The Group is currently embarked on deployment pilots of the OLPC concept in two local schools: - The August Town Primary School, located in the heart of the August Town community in the University’s Township neighborhood; - Providence Methodist Basic school, located on the premises of the Providence Methodist Church in Liguanea.

Now in its fourth year Verma pointed out some of the recent findings from the pilot project in August Town where Grade 4,5 and 6 students are involved. Each laptop, equipped with wireless connectivity, multimedia software, an edition of Wikipedia, games and an edition of Wikipedia, games and recording equipment is provided to the youngest child in each family, there not being enough laptops to be given to every child at school. The computer belongs to them for the year, and they are allowed to take it home. take it home.