JTA President calls for national reading campaign to help combat children’s addiction to technological devices

September 17, 2026

A call is being made for the implementation of a national reading campaign to help combat children’s addiction to technological devices.

President of the Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA), La Sonja Harrison made the call at a meeting of the Rotary Club of Mandeville, in Manchester.

The call comes in the wake of recent studies and observations, which highlighted the issue.

The Teens and Technology Report 2025/2026 was conducted jointly by the University of Technology Jamaica and the Broadcasting Commission of Jamaica.

The report indicated that Jamaican teens are hyper-connected with 95 percent having daily device access.

It identified technology addiction as a primary threat to students’ attention span, learning and well being.

The National Study on Social Media Use and the Protection of Children 2026, commissioned by the Heath and Wellness Ministry, revealed that child guidance clinics are treating more children addicted to digital devices than to marijuana.

It said addiction shows up as early as infancy, along with withdrawal symptoms.

Ms. Harrison said the addiction may lead to developmental deficiencies, if left unchecked.

She said a solution to the problem is reading.

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She cited measures taken by authorities in other countries to limit access to devices, especially during classes.

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