The Government of Dominica continues with its distribution of learning devices island wide to ensure that every student is able to access their classes virtually.
The distribution of tablets began over the weekend to primary school students in Tete Morne, Grandbay, Roseau and the Kaliango Territory and according to government officials, more than 600 devices based on need, were given out.
“Based on our data collected from a survey from school principals…2197 primary school students do not have devices,” Education Minister Octavia Alfred said adding that 250 of these students are from the Kalinago Territory.
“53 are from Atkinson Primary , 44 from Salybia Primary , 63 from Concord Primary and 90 are from Sineku Primary,” she said.
The Minister revealed that the Government of Dominica, through the Ministry of Education, has acquired 2984 devices through a programme sponsored by the OECS and was in the process of obtaining more devices which are expected to be on the island by the end of the year.
“Therefore, unless something goes drastically wrong, every student in Dominica will have his or her own device by the end of the year,” Alfred stated.
Alfred noted that the distribution of devices will ensure that students will be able to access their classes online and stated that while the Kalinago Territory is experiencing problems with internet connection, the government, through NTRC, has ensured that there is access to various locations in the Territory.
Meanwhile, the minister advised students to make good use of the devices and to be responsible digital citizens.
“You do not want to do anything naughty or silly…,” she advised. “You have to be responsible, behave respectfully and protect your reputation and your privacy.”
Alfred admonished the students that, “If something is private it’s not supposed to be shared on your device. We have private conversations, we have private information” and advised that the tablet is not a toy, “so you need to take care of it.”
She called on parents and teachers to help students to recognize fake news and dangerous websites.
Students of the Roseau Primary School received a total of 89 tablets on Saturday 23rd, October 2021. Eighty-one (81) students from the Castle Bruce Primary School received devices on Monday.
“More than 2,000 primary school students without learning devices; Govt. continues to distribute to those in need”
The bottom line here is that these unusual situations will continue for quite a long time.. Majority blame to the ANTI VAXXERS I understand now that the economy is collapsing people cannot pay their rent..Domlec is shutting down power as people cannot pay for their electricity..others are unemployed..When will we see some light at the end of the tunnel ?? When a significantly large number of citizens get vaccinated never mind the ANTI VAXXERS. Mandate the vaccination as much as possible in businesses, in schools, DSC, public service etc
DNO you are hurting your credibility with these skewed headlines…
A story about distribution of tablets leads with ‘More than 2, 000 primary school students without…,
It is okay to write a positive story sometimes…you have ample opportunity to write negative headlines.
Do better!
ADMIN: We are at a loss as to what is negative about this story, the headline is based on what the minister said. We report the news regardless if it is viewed as positive or negative. However, here are a few more positive stories all published today:
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/dominican-tops-montserrat-police-recruit-training-programme/
https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/layous-first-attorney-to-assist-underprivileged/
This one also can be seen as positive: https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/skerrit-maintains-that-a-replacement-for-ross-university-will-be-found/
Ultimately, you can choose to see negativity or positivity in anything.
“Based on our data collected from a survey from school principals…2197 primary school students do not have devices,” Education Minister Octavia Alfred said adding that 250 of these students are from the Kalinago Territory.”
And what percentage of primary school students in Dominica does that 2197 represent? Doing some quick math, 2197 could represent more than of 3% of the entire population of Dominica (based upon the oft-proclaimed population of 70,000). What about households with more than one primary-aged child? Does each child get a device or is it per household? And what arrangements are in place for secondary school students in similar distressed circumstances?
And why did the government have to wait for money from the OECS to make this investment in the future of the country – your children – when there’s always noise about the success of the Citizenship by Investment program?
Wow so government was not ready for covid 19 man? I thought they boasted of we ready, we ready for covid and 2 yrs into covid 19 we hearing over 2000 Primary school students without learning devises? What a shame
So where is liar Skerrit?Is he still at GBay?While the gesture is good, one has to ask the compelling question, after about 2 years since the pandemic, who was fast asleep at the wheel? This reminds me of what the self professed rot weiler said. “Dominica is tired of being last in everything”!
Liar Skerrit is conspiciously absent, but he was at Grandbay playing his nasty, filthy, and divisive politics with those devices, and like the devil, pretending that is love he is distributing. Really Skerrit?? Almost 40 years Grandbay is voting labour, yet still, the most significant and majestic piece of infrastructure there, is the Pierre Charles Secondary School built by UWP after 4.5 years in office.