Despite a welcome return of the full resumption of face-to-face classes as of today (March 7), Minister of Education Fayval Williams says the use of technology as a means of instructional delivery within the sector will remain a permanent feature.

Following the forced closure of the doors to face-to-face learning in March 2020 due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals within the education sector were tasked with quickly adapting to the ‘new normal’.

This new sense of normal saw the use of various modalities such as radio and television programmes and online classes to facilitate teaching and learning.

Nearing the pandemic’s two-year mark, however, with many lessons learned, Dr Christopher Tufton, health minister, has articulated his belief that the time is ripe for a full return of face-to-face classes.

Addressing a virtual town hall meeting hosted by the education ministry last Friday (March 4), the health minister stated: “We are a lot more aware of the response that we can give to our students and to the school environment.” 

“There are many lessons that we have learned in terms of controlling the virus [such as] sanitising [and physical] distancing, (among other measures),” Tufton articulated.

Even with this in mind and as teachers and students gladly return to the classroom, Williams noted: “Technology will remain a permanent part of the education system.

“We will still have all the technology that you’re used to in the virtual space, it will still be available…But we will just be using it in a different way than you were used to,” argued the education minister.

Echoing the sentiments of the minister on the continued use of technology within the sector, Acting Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Maureen Dwyer, noted that a Technology in Education Policy was approved.

“We now have a Technology in Education Policy that was approved and so that’s what the landscape will look like in the future. Technology is here to stay,” stated Dwyer.