Basseterre: St. Kitts, Friday, October 06, 2023: Friday October 06 the Ministry of Education demonstrated its desire to hold true to the mandate of transforming the teaching-learning environment within the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis as it launched the OneLern interactive educational platform at the Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College Poinciana Conference Room.
Mr. Satyajit Behera, Senior Director for Fortuna Pix, outlined how the OneLern platform will transform the educational landscape within the Federation and explained that the platform is tailored to meet the needs of the country they are providing with such a service.
“I am very confident that this digital initiative will take the students and teachers of St. Kitts and Nevis to greater heights. We at Fortuna Pix have invested in content that is 100 percent aligned with the curriculum that is followed in the country where we start the project. We follow the CSEC curriculum for the Higher Secondary Grades. We currently also cater to the digital interactive textbooks for the primary grades as well. This platform caters to the various stakeholders be it teachers, students, principals, or officials at the Ministry of Education.”
Describing the platform as a “beautiful learning management system”, Mr. Behera communicated “We [the platform] has so many features including library, lesson delivery which is basically nothing but lesson plans. This platform and the books within the platform can also be accessed even if there is no internet. This platform also allows teachers to share their own reading materials. This platform also allows teachers to create assignments, give assignments and send graded assignments to the students; the students in return can submit their assignments…”
Minster of Education Hon Dr. Geoffrey Hanley explained the overall cost of the initiative and urged teachers to view the project as more than just a laptop program but rather as an investment in the development and transformation of education.
“I don’t want us to just look as this initiative as a laptop or we did it before, but to spend time analyzing the investment. 4.1 million dollars went into this initiative; not only that every year to
make sure that we continue using the device and the platform we [Ministry of Education] must find millions of dollars again. However, as we try to transform education and invest in our young people these are the things that are necessary, and the money cannot prevent us [Ministry of education] from delivering.”
Noting the imperative behind the use of the devices the Minister Hanley charged principals with the task of monitoring the use and care of the devices.
“Principals, the onus is going to be on you as the leaders in your school to ensure that the children take care of the device. We cannot assume they know how to turn on the device; you cannot assume they know when there is problem what they need to do. Sometimes when we think they [students] are knowledgeable they would need more or some coaching. You need to make sure that they are taught.”
Addressing the efficient incorporation of the available technology in the teaching – learning environment the Minister expressed, “We must be soldiers and marchers in our schools. We cannot sit in our offices and know what’s going on. For us to give our students these devices and teachers are not using them effectively we would have failed. Don’t allow your teachers to rob our nations youth of an opportunity that can transform them.”
The Minister thanked Fortuna Pix for their commitment and dedication to the transformation and improvement of the educational landscape within the Federation.
