400 tablets donated to Family Island students
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — The Bahamas Telecommunications Company (BTC) has donated four hundred tablets, valued at over $70,000 to the Ministry of Education.
According to a press release from the company, the tablets will assist students in need in the Family Islands.
CEO of BTC, Sameer Bhatti said the substantive investment is part of the company’s commitment to connecting communities and transforming lives.
“Many children are disadvantaged because of their socioeconomic status, and we believe that we have a huge role to play to help close the gap, bridge the digital divide, and do our part to provide greater access to technology,” he said.
The tablets have been distributed to schools in Grand Bahama, Abaco, Exuma, Andros, Eleuthera, Cat Island, San Salvador, Long Island, Acklins, Ragged Island, Mayaguana, Rum Cay, Inagua, and Crooked Island.
Glenys Hanna Martin, Minister of Education, received the donation from BTC and thanked the company for being “a partner with the Ministry of Education on so many important critical undertakings, including connectivity to over 100 schools
She continued: “We appreciate this collaboration greatly and we appreciate this donation. It is indicative of an understanding that no man is an island and a nation unto himself, every man is a piece of a continent or a part of a whole. We are mutually dependent on how we fare as a human society, and this donation to allow our young people, brilliant young people who may have not had access to have access to information, to creativity is an incredible input and we thank you so greatly.”
BTC has partnered with the Ministry of Education to provide fiber connectivity to over 100 public schools in New Providence and the Family Islands.
Following Hurricane Dorian, the CWC Foundation donated $100,000 to One-on-One Educational Services to provide online learning and national examination preparation for students primarily in Grand Bahama and Abaco. At the onset of the pandemic, BTC also teamed up with the Ministry and One-on-One to expand this digital platform to provide online learning for all public school students in a fully-virtual environment for two years.
In addition to the tablet donation, BTC has also supported a number of schools and organizations through its back-to-school initiatives, including the donation of school supplies and uniforms to more than ten schools and organizations such as the Grand Bahama Children’s Home, the Old Bight Mission Home in Cat Island, Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home and Great Commission Ministries.
