NCB Foundation Backs School Vision Care For Jamaican Children

Grade Six student Ashayna Williams of John Austin Primary School said poor eyesight had been affecting her in class. “I couldn’t see what the teacher wrote on the board and, after a while, my eyes would start to hurt,” she said. “With the glasses, I can see so much better already! At first, I thought I would hate wearing glasses, but I love them. They look like regular sunglasses.”

Williams is among the students receiving help through a $525,000 contribution in vision kits from NCB Foundation to the Jamaica Society for the Blind. The support is aimed at giving children with visual impairments and other sight-related difficulties better access to essential eye-care services.

As part of Child’s Month activities, NCB Foundation teamed up with the JSB to strengthen its vision care programme. The programme offers eye screenings, assessments, prescription spectacles, assistive tools and other services for children who need support. Under the project, five schools across Jamaica were screened, and about 200 students were flagged for additional checks and intervention.

John Austin Primary was one of the participating schools. Principal Ainsworth Williams said staff had become concerned after some students continued to show literacy difficulties, leading the school to examine whether there were other issues affecting their performance.

“When our Literacy Coordinator, Miss Keisha Taylor, raised concerns about students who were consistently struggling in reading sessions across different grade levels, we knew we had to look deeper,” Williams explained. “What we discovered was that some children were not struggling to learn; they were struggling to see. We are happy that our students are now getting the support they need, and hopeful that this will make a meaningful difference in their learning and confidence.”

JSB Vision Centre coordinator Sandra Harris said undetected sight problems remain a challenge for many students and can hurt both their academic progress and self-esteem.

“Many children with vision challenges go undiagnosed for far too long, and the effects often show up in the classroom first, through reading difficulties, eye strain, reduced participation, or declining confidence. Support from NCB Foundation allows us to reach more children earlier, provide critical assessments and interventions, and help remove barriers that can significantly affect a child’s learning and development.”

Beyond the donation, NCB Foundation also arranged a special engagement day for John Austin Primary students at the Jamaica Society for the Blind. The visit included practical STEM activities facilitated by STEM Builders Jamaica.

Kadeen Finn Miller, programme administrator at NCB Foundation, said the partnership is intended to ensure children are not kept back from learning or daily participation because of treatable vision problems.

“Too many children are falling behind in the classroom because of challenges that are entirely treatable,” stated Finn Miller. “At NCB Foundation, we believe something as simple as access to proper vision care should never stand between a child and their ability to learn, participate confidently, and reach their full potential. Through this partnership with the Jamaica Society for the Blind, we are happy for the opportunity to help remove one of those barriers for children who need that support most.”