‘WALK STRONG’

SHAREHOLDERS of loss-making EduFocal Limited will vote on September 10 on renaming the listed company Walstron Limited, widening its mandate beyond education technology and authorising directors to issue shares to executives, advisers, employees and business partners. The renamed company would be permitted to operate across education technology, technology, commerce and real estate, but the annual general meeting (AGM) documents identify no acquisition target, property project or commerce venture. Chief Executive Officer Gordon Swaby said there was nothing in those areas to announce, while the EduFocal brand and its existing products would continue.

The vote comes as EduFocal’s auditors warn of material uncertainty over its ability to continue as a going concern. At December 2025, the group had a $163.02-million equity deficit and only $104,315 in cash. Swaby told the Jamaica Observer in written responses that Walstron was derived from the phrase “walk strong”.

“You know how we tell people ‘walk good’ when they’re heading off? Walstron is our version of that, except it’s about how you carry yourself through the challenging parts,” he said. The AGM resolution says the change would reflect an expanded business focus and long-term growth strategy.

Swaby, however, said the broader mandate was intended to give the company room to pursue opportunities rather than signal that a transaction was imminent. “On real estate and commerce, what the resolution does is give us room. It widens what the company is allowed to do so we’re not running back to shareholders every time something interesting comes along,” he told the Business Observer.

“But there’s nothing for me to announce today. When there is, it goes through the JSE (Jamaica Stock Exchange) first and you’ll have it the same time our shareholders do.” He also drew a distinction between the listed company’s proposed new name and the EduFocal operating brand. Same brand, same platform, same everything.

He said the previously disclosed wind-down of EduFocal’s African subsidiary operations would not affect those products or the company’s customers. EduFocal CEO Gordon Swaby says the proposed Walstron name and wider business mandate will not affect the company’s education platforms or the EduFocal brand.