Covid-19 has disrupted the teaching and learning process for students and educators on Anguilla. Although secondary school students and teachers are meeting at the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School for scheduled face-to-face classes, primary school students and their teachers remain at home engaged in on-line education experiences. Hopefully, things will change in the near future.
Minister of Education and Social Development, Ms. Dee-Ann Kentish Rogers expressed hope that face-to-face-learning will resume for all students at the beginning of next year. Speaking at the Government’s Press Conference on Monday, December 6, 2021, she said: “A number of our students are still undergoing on-line learning. The hope is that the beginning of next year we will have all our children back to school. We hope that the situation continues to improve locally, so that our children can have the benefits of face-to-face learning from their teachers.”
SPORTS DEVELOPMENT
In sports development, Minister Kentish Rogers reflected on the days when softball was a popular sport played on the Coronation Park in The Valley. She remains hopeful that softball will be a ‘comeback’ sport on Anguilla. Presenting her Ministry’s weekly updates, Ms. Kentish Rogers expressed joy for last week’s launch of a softball tournament and voiced hope that persons would continue to have an interest in the game.
She observed: “It is good to see persons coming together to ensure that we’re at the academy stage [in playing softball], so that when the amateur stage comes, it comes back right and we can have softball playing again in Anguilla. She indicated that persons from St. Marten might be coming over to Anguilla on this weekend to play softball as well.
PLANS FOR A SAFE SHELTER ON ANGUILLA
Minister Kentish Rogers gave an update on her Ministry’s Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence initiative. She noted that the Royal Anguilla Police Force (RAPF) is conducting self-defense workshops on the James Ronald Webster Park, and encouraged persons interested in learning techniques on how to protect themselves from their attackers, to attend the sessions.
She further appealed to persons who may be dealing with social or psychological issues to reach out for help on the confidential hotline. She indicated that she has been in discussions with partners in the US to access grant funds for building a shelter or safe house for persons who are victims of gender-based and domestic violence.
She reported: “We are looking at developing a foundation, slightly removed from government. A number of institutions that give grants for this purpose don’t give grants to governments. That is just the reality of it. We will need to partner with nonprofit organisations in order to staff the shelter and be operational.”
