Lightbourne to make substantive address on in-person learning in HOA today
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — With school repairs more than 80 percent completed, Minister of State for Education Zane Lightbourne said yesterday some schools will not be ready for the return of face-to-face learning in a hybrid model come the second week of the New Year.
One example is Sybil Strachan, where the roof has yet to be repaired, though it is expected to be ready by the Easter break.
The Ministry of Education has been preparing schools and the physical structures they need to facilitate face-to-face learning in a coronavirus pandemic environment.
According to Lightbourne, these steps become increasingly important to get right amid the threat of a new COVID variant, omicron, which has become the predominant strain in several southern African countries and continues to spread.
“We have to address some individual schools and their ability to house students and teachers,” Lightbourne said outside the House of Assembly.
“The summer repairs extended for a very long time.
“In some cases, there were challenges that we met from the previous administration and we’re going into a New Year and still summer repairs are going on.
“This, I find it unacceptable, and we have to find a better way to do repairs.
“Whatever challenges would have come up, we have to look at those and see if we can do it differently in the upcoming school season.
“But for now, we are looking at all of the protocols of COVID.
“We know that we are faced with a new strain possibly, and therefore all caution and guidance directing the way we do things and the decisions that we make.
“We are [led] by the minister of health and his team. I am taking advice from them.”
We are concerned about the students [who] have lagged behind due to the failures of the system and the inadequacies of the system…
– Zane Lightbourne
Lightbourne said the learning gap created by thousands of students either failing to participate in virtual learning or being sporadic on the learning platform is of grave concern to the government.
“We are concerned about the students [who] have lagged behind due to the failures of the system and the inadequacies of the system…and we are addressing some programs on the technical side of education,” he said.
“[We are] working closely with BTVI and reviving some of the technical programs that would lead the way that address the majority of workers in our country and therefore would give an opportunity to students coming out of school who may not be totally academic and seeking to go to university or college, but they can get technical training and certification where they can make a living — a very decent living in many aspects.”
A program is expected to be rolled out with a host of employers in the New Year for hundreds of graduating students to find employment immediately, according to the minister.
In October, Lightbourne said a return to in-person learning was hinged on the advice of health professionals and the COVID situation in The Bahamas at the time.
It remains to be seen how the holidays, anticipated increased travel and festivities will impact infections, which have been in the low double-digits for the past several weeks.
The minister is expected to provide substantive details on the reopening of schools for face-to-face learning in Parliament today.
