By TANYA SMITH-CARTWRIGHT

tsmith-cartwright@tribunemedia.net

SCHOOLS across the country will now reopen on October 5 with virtual learning only for the islands of New Providence, Abaco and Eleuthera, Minister of Education Jeff Lloyd announced Monday.

However, some parents of Abaco students are incensed, saying without utilities they cannot participate in that method of learning. Schools on Grand Bahama—which has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases—and other islands will be allowed to reopen with face-to-face learning.

These dates apply to both public and private schools, Mr Lloyd said. Schools were previously expected to open for the fall semester on September 21.

Mr Lloyd also said national exams, which were halted months ago due to the pandemic, will resume on September 14.

“The targeted opening date of schools across the Bahamas is Monday, October 5,” Mr Lloyd said. “This goes for public and private schools. One size does not fit all. Thus, schools on the islands of New Providence, Abaco and Eleuthera will open in a completely virtual environment. That is online. While schools on Grand Bahama and all other islands will open face-to-face.

“This delay allows the ministry and parents/care-givers the opportunity to secure the needed devices for the full participation of all involved in the teaching and learning process. There is also a need to complete the installation of the adequate level of internet service needed for connectivity to the Department’s Virtual Platform for thousands of students who will now remain at home in both the public and the private education sectors.”

According to Mr Lloyd, in anticipation of the return of some 55,000 students to the classroom, be it virtual or face-to-face, the Ministry of Education projects its 2020 summer repairs programme to cost some $27 million dollars.

Prior to Mr Lloyd’s press conference, parents of Abaconian students and some from Eleuthera, reached out to the media with their concerns.

“We have no jobs, we have no running water, we have no electricity, we barely have a roof to live under, how are we getting devices for our children and what is going to power those devices?” said Mercia Burrows. “Until this government takes Abaco seriously, we cannot get out of the hole we are in. The majority of the people on this island have no utilities, how are our children going to learn?

“It’s easy to say they are sending this and that to us. They make it sound so easy. There is no power here. We are not living like we used to. If you send something here to some of the people, it will be just a situation where at nightfall, someone comes and takes it from you, anyway. Before you talk about virtual learning and all this high falootin mess, you need to fix the situation in Abaco. Let us live like human beings again.”

Asked about concerns, Mr Lloyd said, “For those who have no ability to engage any of the modalities, we will be printing resource instructional material for those persons to be able to be assisted.”

Also addressing the concerns of students in Abaco, Deputy Director of Education Donovan Turnquest said the Patrick Bethel School will not be completed until early 2021, but within the next month will have 12 classrooms completed to accommodate high school students. Director of Education Marcellus Taylor spoke to a device that will be made available to ensure instruction.

“A device that will be used to provide content to those places and persons who may not have infrastructure up and running,” Mr Taylor said. “We are already targeting Moore’s Island for that and we are also targeting Grand Cay for that. We, along with one of the NGOs that assisted Abaco in the recovery are providing solar powered chargers for devices. So we believe that it is not a perfect situation. We have a lot of persons who are moving to Abaco, but then a lot of public officers who are not necessarily going to service the needs, so we have to be able to do the best that we can in the situation that we are in.”

Mer Lloyd also addressed the suspension of the BJC and BGCSE examinations earlier this year. He gave new dates for when those exams will be facilitated by his ministry and also noted that this is the last opportunity to take them this year, as they will be cancelled if there is another unforeseeable delay.

“The Ministry of Education will resume the administration of national exams beginning Monday, September 14, 2020 and ending Friday, October 2, 2020. The Examination and Assessment Division will prepare new general timetables to be issued to schools and unattached candidates. The timetables will be placed in the local print and electronic media, published this week Thursday.

“I should make it clear, though, that this is the last time we will re-start the administration of the national exams. If for any reason – any reason whatsoever – that the exams are again interrupted, before its completion on Friday, October 2, they will be cancelled.”

Minister Lloyd said the marking of the examinations already sat will commence as early as September 2 and will continue through the end of October. He also said as was previously the case, all necessary social distancing and hygiene protocols will be in place, along with all necessary PPE equipment and thermometers.