Digicel Foundation is deepening its commitment to online safety by broadening its Safer Internet Together (SIT) programme to include parents and teachers, arming adults with the knowledge and tools needed to guide and monitor how children behave online.

This expansion comes on the heels of a standout year for the programme, which
reached more than 34,000 students across 150 schools islandwide with lessons on
digital responsibility. SIT is a year-long, nationwide initiative built to give all Jamaicans
the essential knowledge to move safely through the digital space.

So far, over 50 parents and teachers have taken part in the programme, which tackles
key issues such as cyberbullying, parental controls, personal data protection, and data
privacy.

Looking ahead, the Foundation will host a series of targeted sessions with school
principals in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s Regions 4 and 1
this summer, further strengthening ties with school leadership and expanding the
programme’s footprint in those communities.

Charmaine Daniels, CEO of Digicel Foundation, explained, “The digital landscape is
evolving at a pace that can be difficult for any parent or teacher to keep up with.
Through SIT, we are ensuring that the adults in our children’s lives are not left behind.
Adults need to be aware of what is happening online so that they can effectively
monitor, guide, and protect the young people in their care.”

STEM Builders Learning Hub, the programme’s implementing partner, is responsible for
delivering the digital safety curriculum in schools and community settings. According to
CEO Kavelle Hylton, experience on the ground has made clear just how urgent it is to
bring parents into the conversation alongside students.

“What we are finding is that parents sometimes are simply not aware of what their
children are encountering online – the risks, the platforms, or the conversations
happening in digital spaces. Educating them and guiding them is so important, because
they are the ones who can guide our children at home. When we strengthen the
awareness of parents and teachers, we multiply the impact of everything we do in the
classroom,” said Miss Hylton.

SIT is backed by a group of dedicated partners united by a shared vision for a safer
digital Jamaica, including Sunshine Snacks, Macmillan Education, JPS, and KOOL
97FM. Looking to 2026, Digicel Foundation aims to bring the programme to 100
additional schools and host 25 PTA sessions.