The Minister with responsibility for Education, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers, kept the country updated with developments on the education scene. Speaking at the government’s Press Conference on Monday, 13th December, she noted that the department had been quite busy over the past week:
“Over the past week, we’ve seen three sets of graduations: the Anguilla Community College, the Fifth and Sixth Formers, and the UWI Open campus. We have been really privileged to see a number of persons taking up the opportunity to further their education at our local institution – the Anguilla Community College, and onward at the UWI Open Campus.
“We’ve also seen the dedication of most of the Anguilla Programme Schools: Adrian T. Hazel Primary School, Morris Vanterpool Primary School, Valley Primary School and Orealia Kelly Primary School. All of the schools have received an IT Equipment upgrade.” Ms. Kentish-Rogers observed that facility construction work is still ongoing at the secondary school site.
School Reopenings
With regard to the reopening of schools on Anguilla, Minister Kentish-Rogers indicated that all students will return to face-to-face instruction at the opening of the Lenten Term, January 10, 2021. She noted: “In January, we intend to have a full return to face-to-face instruction for secondary school students at all levels – Forms 1 through Form 6. We will also have a return to face-to-face instruction for our primary school students. We will release those schedules in short order.”
The Minister cautioned persons about the impact that COVID continues to have on the education sector, and pleaded with everyone to have a “careful Christmas.” She said: “I must caution you to have a careful Christmas. We know that persons will be gathering in multi-generational families, but we do understand that can have implications on the number of [COVID-19] cases in the community.”
Library services:
The Ministry of Education, in partnership with the Ministry of Infrastructure, has been undertaking infrastructural repairs at the Public Library. This will enhance the face of the Library which has been in disrepair for a number of years.
Ms. Kentish-Rogers announced that the Ministry of Education had received funds from a generous benefactor. The gift will fund new tablets – and outfit a new computer lab in the Library for all Anguillians needing to use computer and printing facilities.
The generous gift to the Library was made by the American University of Anguilla Medical School in a gesture of giving back to the community in a real way. The university intends to operate in Anguilla in 2022.
