“Let’s get it right so the children of our nation can receive the quality education they are worthy of”
NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Citing numerous challenges with the government’s virtual learning platform, Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) President Belinda Wilson yesterday urged Minister of Education Jeffrey Lloyd to cut the rhetoric and provide a viable solution.
The 2021/2022 academic year began virtually yesterday but its learning management system is still plagued with technical and administrative failings, according to the union president.
“On day one, the virtual platform is still not working. After 18 months of pontificating, the Ministry of Education’s learning management system is still inadequate,” Wilson said in a voice note.
“Teachers and students on the first day of school could not get onto the platform. Teachers and students do not have passwords. Teachers do not have their class lists, many of them have not [been] given laptops and internet access at schools are nonexistent or inoperable.
“Administrators are franticly trying to key in students’ names, classrooms and personal information. Some of the tablets that were given to students still need to be upgraded so that they are compatible with the Ministry of Education platform.”
Wilson said teachers have resorted to using alternative platforms like Zoom or Google Classroom to conduct lessons.
“We impress upon the minister of education — please stop talking, cut the rhetoric, try to put together an efficient LMS (learning management system),” she said.
“Enough time and enough money has been wasted; the children of our nation are being negatively impacted. We are in a COVID environment, which means that we may have to use the virtual platform for some time further or in the future.”
She added: “So, let’s get it right so that the children of our nation can receive the quality education that they are so worthy of.”
