The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training (METVT) has advised that its offices at the Elsie Payne Complex, Constitution Road, St Michael, will be open for urgent business only, from Thursday, March 26. This is in response to Stage 2 of Barbados’ National Preparedness Plan for COVID-19.
Members of the public should call the PBX 535-0600 before going to the Ministry, or email queries to info@mes.gov.bb or directly to officers. The contact and email address of Heads of Sections of the Ministry of Education may be found on the Ministry’s website at www.mes.gov.bb.
Additionally, the METVT disclosed that training is ongoing by Information Technology Coordinators at all public schools to ensure that schools can be managed in an online environment, if schools do not open as scheduled.
The GSuite for Education is free to schools and may easily be monitored by the administration of the school.
While there is a plethora of platforms to facilitate online learning, the METVT believes that the use of a single suite of Apps, GSuite for Education, will allow for easier transmission of online learning for teachers, students and parents.
Videos will soon be circulated to parents and guardians on how to assist students with navigating the GSuite for education classroom.
Minister Santia Bradshaw explained that the Ministry had also taken into account those students who did not have access to Wi-Fi or devices at home.
She said the METVT has had discussions with telecommunications providers to see how they could cater to these students.
Ms. Bradshaw also disclosed that persons from the private sector had reached out to assist with providing such devices.
“And, also as a Government, we’ve been exploring the ability to have devices brought in as well. So, those are some of the systems we’ve been putting in place because we don’t want to disadvantage any child,” she emphasized.
Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training