Grantley Adams Memorial Secondary School has received a set of digital learning kits, the latest in a national drive to address learning setbacks and student disengagement caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several Learnit “Teachnology” Solution kits were handed over during a ceremony on Friday, in a donation from Massy Foundation (Barbados) Inc. in partnership with Kingdom Life Ministries and Caribbean eBook Ltd.
Massy’s marketing manager and member of the Massy Foundation advisory panel, Natalie McDowald, told students during the morning’s assembly that the donation represented more than the passing over of equipment.
“This moment is more than a ceremonial handover; rather, it is a declaration of belief,” she said. “Belief in the power of education, in the resilience of our youth and in our shared responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind.”
She noted that the pandemic had left “deep scars” on the education system, particularly at schools like Grantley Adams Memorial. Issues such as absenteeism, learning loss and environmental challenges continued to weigh heavily on students and teachers.
“And yet, in the face of these trials, the leadership of the Grantley Adams school, and all the other schools represented here today, chose hope,” McDowald added. “You chose innovation. And you all chose to invest in your students’ future by embracing the Learnit Solution.”
So far, Massy has made similar donations to Selah Primary, Lifelong School Skills Training, Ellerton Primary, St Mark’s Primary and Hilda Skeene Primary, with plans already underway to donate to Half Moon Fort Primary soon.
Massy Foundation has spent more than $424 000 on the programme to date, alongside Kingdom Life Ministries, which has contributed another $155 000 for a combined donation of nearly $580 000 so far.
“We acknowledge Grantley Adams Memorial Secondary School’s presence on that list — not as a recipient, but as a beacon,” she said. “This donation is a promise that we will not allow circumstance to dictate destiny… and that we will continue to pursue partnerships to expand this programme until every child, in every classroom, has access to the future they deserve.”
McDowald described the Learnit “Teachnology” Solution as a lifeline for struggling learners, offering more than 190 offline, interactive applications designed to help students learn by “touching, listening and doing”.
“Whether they are struggling to read or grasp basic arithmetic, the Learnit Solution offers them a pathway to progress, self-esteem and renewed purpose,” she said. “And for the teachers — who are the heartbeat of every classroom — Learnit provides structure, support and rhythm, as well as the tools to lead their students with confidence.”
Principal Andrew Skeete welcomed the donation, describing it as a critical boost to the school’s remedial programme. “Your commitment demonstrates an understanding of your shared responsibility for student success,” he said.
Skeete said the technology “checks all of the boxes” and would extend the school’s efforts to deliver instruction that is “more responsive, more flexible and more engaging”.
(SB)
The post New digital tools at school ‘tackle pandemic learning loss’ appeared first on Barbados Today.
