BUSINESS BYTE: Flow supports Ministry of Education’s digital learning drive

Flow, Dominica’s leading telecommunications provider, is donating tablets to the Ministry of Education in support of the national drive to provide a device to every child requiring equipment to facilitate home schooling during the pandemic.

Through the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation (CWCF), a nonprofit organization that serves as C&W Communications’ corporate social responsibility arm, 145 Amazon Fire 7 tablets have been donated to the Ministry of Education to accommodate students in accessing the digital world and further their education.

C&W Communications, the operator of the Flow brands in the Caribbean, established the Foundation to support charitable and community causes in the company’s markets.

Jeffrey Baptiste, General Manager, Flow Dominica, acknowledged the work being done by the Ministry of Education in bridging the connectivity gap which exists for students needing devices for learning from home in a situation brought on by the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.

“As the leading telecommunications provider, we take our role in the community seriously, particularly in the areas of youth development and education and we believe that we can support the ministry with this initiative through our charitable foundation in providing devices to students in need,” he said.

Octavia Alfred, Minister for Education, noted that despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, it has pushed her ministry to make better use of technology and it has sped up their efforts in digital teaching and learning.

The Minister welcomed the contribution of the Amazon Fire 7 tablets which she confirmed will support the schools and staff in the delivery of teaching and learning.

“Online learning cannot happen without devices’, noted the Minister who thanked Flow and the Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation for the timely donation.