Education is both a basic human right and a core element of sustainable development. The Internet has become integrated into our lives to facilitate almost every process. Access to the Internet is fundamental to improving education, as it can improve the quality of education by opening a path to a wealth of information, knowledge, and educational resources, increasing opportunities for learning in and beyond the classroom. Teachers use online materials to prepare lessons, and students extend their range of learning. Interactive teaching methods, supported by the Internet, enable teachers to give more attention to individual students’ needs and support shared learning.

Access to the Internet, with sufficient bandwidth, is essential for the development of an information society. Lack of broadband connectivity is preventing the widespread use of the Internet in education and other areas of life in many developing countries. A legal and regulatory environment that fosters investment and innovation is critical to enabling broadband access. This is not just a matter of connectivity. For access to be meaningful, it must also be affordable for schools and individuals, and teachers and students must acquire digital literacy and other skills required to make best use of it.

The Ministry of Education, Youth and Information (MOEYI) identified 224 Schools across Jamaica with no source of Internet connection. Due to their rural locations, it is difficult to set up quality wifi networks in these areas from existing Internet providers. Cornerstone Jamaica has longstanding partnerships with 11 schools within Westmoreland and Hanover Parishes. Our Principals from these schools have reported that their current service is minimal and not sufficient for classroom use. They are looking for a sustainable solution to improve Internet connectivity.