By KHRISNA RUSSELL

Tribune Chief Reporter

krussell@tribunemedia.net

EDUCATION Minister Jeff Lloyd has said schools will not open until the competent authority gives approval as he urged parents to ensure students are registered for online learning.

He said for the foreseeable future, web-based learning will be the way education continues.

For those without internet connections or devices to do this, he said officials were communicating with service providers to assist children, beginning with those on the government’s lunch voucher programme.

“When it was initially announced, schools were to close from March 16 to April 14. That is next week Tuesday, the day after Easter Monday,” the minister told Parliament yesterday.

“Obviously schools will not open next week and they will not open until the competent authority orders that they do so. For this reason - and especially this reason - parents are invited to take this opportunity to seriously have their children registered on the online educational paradigm.

“If they are not able to get on because they don’t have the internet connectivity or they don’t have a device, we are working with Cable Bahamas, Aliv and BTC to provide devices beginning firstly with those students on the lunch voucher programme.”

Additionally, he said beginning April 15 there will live instructions on television for the online learning portal.

“It appears as if for at least the foreseeable future online education will be a mode of education delivery in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and as I have stated before I invite all Bahamians particularly parents and students please stay tuned to the Ministry of Education for regular updates on the state of education in our country.”