Bahamas
Description
Bahamas' response to school closure
Context
Data pulled from MOE Annual Report 2016 – 2017:
Primary enrolment: 28,407
Secondary enrolment: 4913
Stand alone pre-school: 992
491 schools (172 public, 319 private) – MOE Annual Report 2016 – 2017
2,935 teachers employed by the MOE, of which 1,705 in the primary grades.
Data pulled from 2018 UIS UNESCO:
Net enrolment Primary: 74%
Net enrolment Secondary: 62.5%
The Ministry of Education/Department of Education
Immediate response
The Minister of Education delivered a press conference on the afternoon of March 18th, 2020 to outline the plan for continued lessons, while schools were closed.
Schools are currently opened. School reopening started in September.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) announced the closure of all schools, both public and private, and educational institutions, beginning, Monday, March 16th, 2020 until Tuesday, April 14th, 2020. In the Public Sector, teachers and students are not required to report to school; However, all administrators, support staff, and security personnel are expected to report for duty.
For pre, primary and high schools:
The Minister of Education delivered a press conference on the afternoon of March 18th, 2020 to outline the plan for continued lessons, while schools were closed.
Some private schools have rolled out virtual classrooms (St. Andrew’s & Queen’s College).
The University of The Bahamas has also announced they will utilize their virtual platforms.
At the moment a combination of online, hybrid and face-to-face strategies are coexisting.
Support Tools
The Minister of Education delivered a press conference on the afternoon of March 18th, 2020 to outline the plan for continued lessons, while schools are closed.
This topic was addressed.
Learning and communication platforms, digital content and websites are being used.
TV and radio were used to deliver content.
The country does not have such a platform
Digital technologies are in place. However, they are outdated.
The country does not have such a scheme rolled out nationally.
Connectivity
The country does not have such a strategy
Private schools more so than public schools.
The Ministry of Education in collaboration with Aliv and BTC internet providers designed a platform to offer access to the internet, devices and training for students who lack the technological resources.
Challenges
The Bahamas is an archipelagic system which poses a challenge, due to lack of technology in Family Island schools. Teachers are not prepared for the use of technology in education.
Reopening
Protocols and plan for school reopening are being implemented.