The Ministry of Health reported on Wednesday that there were 101 new cases of COVID-19, one death and 65 people confirmed to have recovered.

The total number of cases is now 4,123 with 1,791 of those active.

It’s official, BTC and One on One Educational Services will continue its partnership with the Ministry of Education (MoE) to provide an end to end learning management system for the upcoming academic year.

In response, BTC CEO, Garry Sinclair said, “Throughout this pandemic, BTC has remained committed to keeping our customers and our communities connected.

For the first time in history, students are starting a new school year using a virtual classroom.

We are proud that the Ministry of Education continues to see the value of choosing BTC and One on One Educational Services as its virtual education partners.

Almost a year ago, our Cable & Wireless Charitable Foundation (CWCF) donated $100,000 to facilitate e-Learning, following the cataclysmic Hurricane Dorian. 

We are happy to do our part to ensure that thousands of our children, educators and parents have access to online learning via our BTC Study platform.”

The platform, which was initially introduced in November, 2019 was in response to an acute need to provide virtual instruction to students preparing for national examinations, especially those affected by the hurricane.

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic earlier this year, BTC also worked along with the MoE to expand this platform to be able to cater to all primary and secondary grade levels.

Minister of Education, the Hon. Jeffrey L. Lloyd, stated that the Ministry of Education is pleased to extend its partnership with BTC and One-on-One in the implementation of a Learning Management System (LMS) and Education Management Information System (EMIS).

These two tools are critical for the modernization of the public education sector as they allow the Ministry of Education to have greater efficiency in the delivery of education in our nation.

Minister Lloyd said, “Progressive societies are driven by data to make informed decisions. The Bahamas is no different. We must provide the best possible education experience for our educators, students and parents. This is what the LMS and EMIS will do”.

The virtual platform, www.bahamas.1on1lms.com which will be live on October 5th for students has been zero-rated by BTC, and students accessing the site using mobile data will not be charged.

BTC Study provides blended learning using a combination of online courses coupled with live webinars.

The platform is fun and inviting for children as it uses gamification to make the learning experience fun and exciting.

CEO of One on One Educational Services, Ricardo Allen said, “We are excited to be given the opportunity to continue our partnership with BTC and the Ministry of Education.

The provision of BTC Study to students will ensure that parents, students and educators continue the learning process during these uncertain times.

One on One continues to remain committed to the digitization of the Education services in The Bahamas at all levels as seen with this and our recent partnership with The University of Bahamas."

BTC has also partnered with the Ministry of Education to provide broadband connectivity to schools in New Providence and the Family Islands.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Darren Henfield said The Bahamas continues in its objective of achieving gender equality for all. The Minister made the statement in a high level meeting during the sitting of the United Nations’ 25th anniversary of the fourth World Conference on Women. The meeting was held on Saturday, 26th September in New York. The theme for the meeting was “Accelerating the realization of gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.”

“Over the past twenty-five years, we have witnessed the transformation of social, political, communal and economic infrastructure as a result of climate change, weather events, recessions, and now the global COVID-19 pandemic. The world is changing before our very eyes, at a speed that is incomprehensible. The Bahamas has weathered much, and remains standing, in love and service, fully committed towards achieving equality, empowerment and the advancement of women and girls,” said Minister Henfield.

He said that National priorities remain aligned with the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, inclusive of increasing women’s ownership of land and businesses, strengthening laws that protect those most vulnerable, especially in the area of disability, promoting equal opportunities and fighting violence against women.

As it relates to institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women, the Minister said that the Department of Gender and Family Affairs serves to coordinate, advocate and inform policy for and on behalf of women and girls, and men and boys, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive approach towards educational programmes and the implementation of international conventions to which we are a state party.

“Our ten-year strategic plan, which is an inclusive National Equality Policy and Action Plan, has guided gender responsiveness in economic decisions, power and decision making, legislation and situations of violence,” he said. “A new Plan will soon be formulated that will continue to promote a gender perspective in all policies, planning, and programmes in all sectors, as well as climate change, environmental and disaster management and food and nutrition security.”

He explained that the Bahamian government has adopted a sensitive approach as it pertains to women in power and decision-making. “The Bahamas recognizes that political will is critical to effect systemic change within historical and contemporary structures of inequality and to eliminate barriers that impede access to resources and opportunities. In this regard, the Government has incorporated a gender sensitive approach.”

Finally, the Minister reiterated the Bahamas’ commitment to gender equality. “In this 25th Silver Anniversary, the Government of The Bahamas remains committed to the implementation and acceleration of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which remains an invaluable resource for the full realization of gender equality and empowerment of women and girls as well as the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).”

By Betty Vedrine

No tropical cyclones as of Wed, 30 Sep 2020 18:57:38 GMT