The Jamaica College Old Boys Association of Florida (JCOBAFL) has, to date, made a total donation of US$12,000 to help the school with the funding necessary to operate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Florida Chapter had previously made a donation of US$6,000 in June of 2020, and in August 2020, Teddy Alexander, the past president of the JCOBAFL, presented a new check for an additional US$6,000 to Wayne Robinson, Principal of Jamaica College (JC), at the school’s campus at 189 Old Hope Road in Kingston in August 2020.
The donations will help the school pay its operating expenses, which had been funded from several revenue streams that have dried up due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The loss of revenue from sources such as renting the school’s auditorium, sporting, and classroom faculties, lunch sales from the cafeteria, and the minimum collection of outstanding fees from parents has imposed serious financial pressures on the school. JC has had to decrease staff, cut pay, and reduce hours in order to maintain the existing online classroom technology required to continue teaching during the pandemic with tablets, laptops, software, and WiFi data access.
The school’s supplemental teachers and administrators, a critical part of JC’S effort to elevate its academic standards and who are paid directly by the school rather than by the Ministry of Education, have been most affected by the funding shortfalls.
In its time of need, Jamaica College has turned to its Old Boys for help. The combined JCOBA chapters in Jamaica, New York, Florida, and Canada have joined to address the crisis by creating the JCOBA Big Brother COVID-19 Rescue Plan. Under the plan, each chapter is asked to generate at least US$2,000 per month for the period of one year, beginning at the end of May 2020, to offset JC’s financial shortfall.
Xavier Murphy, President of the Jamaica College Old Boys Association of Florida (JCOBAFL), stated, “The pandemic and the resulting effects on schools in Jamaica is an unprecedented event, we felt that we as past students of Jamaica College had to step up and make an unprecedented effort to help. Our goal is to raise US$24,000 by the end of 2020.”
Jamaica College Principal Wayne Robinson said, “We wish to express our deepest appreciation to the Florida chapter for the continuous support we have received in our time of dire need. The JC Old Boys of Florida have gone beyond the call of duty to our beloved College and have made my job much easier in managing a very serious situation. Your latest cheque is very timely.”
Donations to the JCOBA Big Brother COVID-19 Rescue Plan can be made on the JCOBAFL website.
