With the closure of schools due to COVID-19, strategies were implemented to ensure that learning continued, including equipping students and teachers with devices to facilitate online classes.
Online Learning
• The 2020/21 academic year resumed on October 5, with lessons delivered virtually; via television, radio and cable; and through the delivery of printed materials.
• The Ministry established Learning Management System (Google Classroom), which more than 400,000 teachers, students and administrators can access.
• 40,000 tablets were delivered to students at primary schools, who benefit under PATH.
• 25,000 devices were provided for teachers.
• The Government entered an arrangement with ReadyTV to provide a solution for 238 schools in remote areas that were without Internet access. By the end of December, 100 institutions were equipped.
• The ‘One Laptop or Tablet’ per Child Initiative was launched with the support of corporate firms, to provide laptops to students who are not on PATH.
• The Own Your Own Device (OYOD) Initiative was launched, with the parents of 36,000 students each receiving a voucher valuing $20,000 each, to help with the purchase of devices.
• 17 schools participated in a face-to-face teaching pilot in November. An additional 22 started in-person classes in December.
• A call centre and special website was launched to help the public with information. An email address, educate@educate.gov.jm was created specifically for back-to-school queries.
• 180 teachers were trained to deliver online and offline lessons.
• School leaders participated in a Virtual Instructional Leadership (VIL) online course, to equip them with the skills and competencies to effectively manage institutions remotely.
• 100 per cent of the 38,918 students who sat the 2020 Primary Exit Profile (PEP) in grade six were placed in high schools.
