Schools to reopen remotely on September 21

Schools to reopen remotely on September 21
Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd (FILE PHOTO)

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Minister of Education Jeffrey Lloyd announced today that schools will reopen on September 21 with only remote learning, based on the current outlook of the global coronavirus pandemic.

Lloyd, who was addressing Parliament during this morning’s sitting, detailed the government’s plans for the reopening of schools.

He outlined three future models of education that will be utilized, in-person instruction, purely online, or a blended model.

He said there will sometimes be a blend of these models in a particular school.

Lloyd advised that education officials will continue to monitor the global and local spread of the virus as it moves to make its decisions.

“By October 5, there may be a shift from remote instruction to hybrid or blended learning,” he said.

The education minister continued: “There are challenges with every single model.

“There are benefits and there are disadvantages no matter the model chosen.”

Addressing the disparity in students able to access education due to the lack of access to interconnectivity or devices, the education minister insisted that every effort will be made to meet the needs of students.

Lloyd said students in need will be provided a tablet on loan, adding that the ministry is working on a scheme to decrease the costs of those electronics and will aid parents in where to purchase them.

He also encouraged parents who now view homeschooling as the right education model for their children, to pursue this model.

He advised that the ministry will be offering classes and programs to parents who will need to help teach their students during this time.

 

 

About Sloan Smith

Sloan Smith is a senior digital reporter at Eyewitness News, covering a diverse range of beats, from politics and crime to environment and human interest. In 2018, Sloan received a nomination for the “Leslie Higgs Feature Writer of The Year Award” from The Bahamas Press Club for her work with Eyewitness News.