Technology giant BTC (Bahamas Telecommunications Company) donated 2,500 tablets to the Ministry of Education (MOE) to be used in public schools throughout the country. BTC’s CEO Garfield Sinclair said it’s an initiative that is an excellent public private partnership that will revolutionize education. 

It is a donation that will continue to propel the Ministry of Education into its goal of ensuring that students have access to technology that will push them forward in the 21st century. 

Mr. Sinclair made the announcement recently at the Public Schools Administrators conclave. 

Mr. Sinclair added the BTC fully supports MOE’s project to provide technology in the classrooms, creating “smart classrooms” for educators and students. 

“A digital country requires digitally inspired education,” Mr. Sinclair said.

“We are ahead of schedule in connecting 127 schools and giving them high speed connectivity to the internet.

“It is actually an excellent private and public partnership because we are really connecting these schools to the existing government of The Bahamas WAN and at the end of this, what we are going to have are students who will hopefully be well advanced as part of this digital education process. 

“We know that access to the internet has an inextricable link to GDP growth. It also equips young minds for a digital economy.

“So, we’re talking about eventually, hopefully facilitating smart schools with smart cities, smart government and really driving The Bahamas into the 21st century.

“The fact of the matter is you’re not going to be able to do that without the kind of connectivity that we are providing.”

In September 2018, MOE launched its $17 million technology upgrade with the signing of a contract with BTC for a “massive technology upgrade”. 

The project has been dubbed “One Network Project”. 

Education Minister Jeffrey Lloyd said the project will allow for “tech-smart campuses throughout the entire country”.

“I am talking about the day that must come within the next year or so, where the entire educational system is wired like an Estonia, Finland, South Korea,” Mr. Lloyd said.

“We’ll be the first of its kind in the Caribbean where there will be experiential learning, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, robotics, personalized learning, distance learning.

“Technology is going to further empower, you and I, administrators, and teachers, in providing the kind of support and assistance and instructions needed for students.”

Minister Lloyd added that the initiative will also help to improve the graduation rate as students on islands that may have a shortfall in teachers will be able to learn through virtual classrooms.

The Ministry of Education also signed contracts with Cable Bahamas, Walkers Industries Limited and Sam’s Businesses Machines, all in an effort to facilitate the creation of wireless internet connectivity in the school system.