BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - MINISTER of Education and Youth, the Hon. Shawn Richards has again responded to criticism over the Government’s decision to discontinue the distribution of laptop to students.
The One-to-One laptop programme started under the former administration as a means of pushing Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the schools.
However, when the Team Unity Administration took office they investigated and put a stop the initiative.
That decision did not sit well with the opposition, which took to their weekly radio programme to heavily criticize the Government.
But Richards on Thursday (Aug. 11) evening, while speaking at the Government’s townhall meeting, again cleared the air on the matter, pointing to a report submitted by UNESCO.
“I have said that the Government has taken a decision to discontinue the One-on-One laptop programme...this is a decision that we have taken after looking at all of the facts,” said Richards.
“It is not just the Government that looked at the cost...In 2014 and 2015 UNESCO came to St. Kitts and Nevis and did a review of the education sector. Coming out of that review in October of last year, UNESCO presented a report to the Government ...The report spoke to several different changes that we ought to make in education.”
Included in the report was a section that spoke to the laptop programme.
Richards said the report indicated that a more targeted approach was needed to incorporate ICT into teaching and learning.
“Students were given a laptops without strong accountability maintenance structure. Secondary school teachers received little proper training on how to use laptops inside and outside the classrooms.
“Only secondary school teachers in St. Kitts received laptops, yet demands are made of all teachers in primary and secondary in St. Kitts and Nevis to use technology in the classroom,” the Minister said in reading from the report.
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