MONEAGUE COLLEGE, SAGE ESTABLISH CENTRE FOR COMMUNITY USE ON CAMPUS
MONEAGUE, St Ann, Nov. 25, 2025
Moneague, St Ann and surrounding communities have a new learning centre with high-level digital communication tools for their use, free of cost.
The learning centre combines the spaces of two classrooms at the Moneague College. The cost of setting it up was borne by the college, which undertook renovation of the classrooms and the Canadian-funded Skills to Access the Green Economy (SAGE) programme, which supplied the digital tools, including smart board, smart TV, laptops and printer.
(READY: Senior Technical Advisor of SAGE, Pat Biddart, Moneague Principal Howard Isaacs and Year 1 Agro-processing student, Callissa Clarke, about to cut the ribbon to symbolically declare the Hub open)
The SAGE (05 – Jamaica) programme, sponsored by the Colleges and Institutes of Canada (CICan), Niagara College and the College of the North Atlantic, through an MOU over a four-year period, cooperated with Moneague College in developing and implementing a Climate Smart Agro-processing degree and exposed faculty and students to sustainability practices in Canada.
Senior Technical Advisor of SAGE, Pat Biddart, Moneague Principal Howard Isaacs and Year 1 Agro-processing student, Callissa Clarke, cut the ribbon to symbolically open the centre, officially called the “SAGE Community Hub”. That was followed by a brief ceremony where the purposes of the initiative were outlined, and some of the digital equipment that will aid the community, staff, and students were demonstrated.
(Moneague College staff, students, SAGE representatives and community members pose following the opening of the Community Hub at the college)
Officials of the College praised the opening and encouraged the centre’s use by members of the wider community. Vice Principal of Student and Administrative Affairs, Dr. Jacqueline Thames, described the Hub as a landmark initiative and a space for collaboration, innovation and growth.
For his part, Principal Howard Isaacs highlighted the fact that the Hub contained state-of-the-art communication equipment and offered a space for College and wider community members to be creative and host developmental activities. He said the fact that the college could participate in the creation and opening of the Hub so soon after Melissa had hit Jamaica and closed the college was “evidence of our ability to rebuild”.
(Senior Technical Advisor of SAGE, Pat Biddart, reflecting on the continued commitment of AGE to the Moneague College)
Frank Henry, Systems Administrator, gave a brief demonstration showing the capability of the equipment, including a computer-based interactive instruction board with capacity for live uploading, processing and sharing of instructional material.
Ms Biddart commented on the productive relationship with the Moneague College and said SAGE wanted to sustain relations with the college and, by extension, the communities it serves after the initial MOU ended. She said they re-examined the budget and reallocated funds for the development of smart classrooms, and at the same time, established a learning hub at the Moneague College that also provides access to the community.
(Principal of the Moneague College, Howard Isaacs, speaking at the opening of the Hub as a demonstration of the ability to rebuild)
President of Moneague Citizens Association Neighbourhood Watch, Hernel Ricketts, welcomed the Hub and said he was sure the community would care for and use it well.
Also participating in the programme were: Dr Nadine Muschette, who was moderator; Kenene Senior Smith who gave the vote of thanks and Vice Chairman of the Board, Rev Michael Llewelyn, who said prayers.
WATCH AS A LEADING COMMUNITY MEMBER AND TWO STUDENTS ENDORSE THE HUB:
