today is the start of a new school term but an old issue lingers that of access to material online
this has been the new normal for students island-wide since the outbreak of the coronavirus
and many of them have caught on quick i prepare by waking up at 6 30 and get myself organized
for my class I'm the administrator for the online class so i start the class early and this helps
my teacher because it gets everyone together for class on time school has been out since march 13
but the lessons continue after a nearly two-week Easter break the summer term officially started
Wednesday I'm liking it so I'm liking it a lot because i still get to interact with my friends
and my teacher and i am adjusting well as it pertains to self-development because i can make my
own schedule and follow it this gives me a sense of being structured on my own which i really like
there's been widespread debate about whether the new school term should have been delayed or
cancelled this says not all students have been able to make the transition to online learning
students like deandra beckford a fourth form student of Morant Bay high school day one of
the new school term and she has no choice but to grab a book with no internet at home no smartphone
laptop or tablet she uses a neighbor's electronic device to get material from school I have a
neighbor who lends me his phone and i get my notes from there and and otherwise i have a
friend up by the road or I sometimes go to the timer I recently had done that yes but sometimes
it's very difficult because of the curfew now sometimes he cries I'm not in a position right now
to buy her a phone which is her heart desire she asked me for a laptop and sometimes i cry because
i see the potential the teacher denise thomas is a student of saint thomas technical high school
she has a phone bot signal up here is also spotty so i have to come very far away from my phone
to get the signal i need to be in class at the port morant primary and junior high school
teachers are sorting through textbooks to distribute to disadvantaged students the
school's principles tells us while work is usually sent via whatsapp it's still not reaching everyone
parents are frustrated sometimes they do not participate in the in the activities we have
heard instances where parents have blocked the teachers from sending message to them
forward to say that they can't bother and at the yalas high school a couple teachers have
come up with a very ingenious way to get to the students particularly by using a local
radio station east of them and we are looking to partner with them to see the best we can
increase or increase the the the level of connection that we have with students to teach
classes as it turns out there are also issues at the tertiary level at the university of the west
indies as an appeal for past students to donate laptops or computers to disadvantaged students
the guild has also implemented a laptop loan program student services and development manager
at mary sequel hall uwi mona nadine spence is offering this suggestion
i i honestly believe that at this point we need to discontinue school for this for the
rest of this academic year i honestly believe that because there is no equity now in in our
ability in the student's ability to access education on monday prime minister andrew
holness was adamant that education will continue online or remotely where there are gaps he says
the government is working with great speed and alacrity to facilitate all students