Steve Distant, Chief of the Non-Branch Division at JN Bank
At least one banker is calling on Jamaican telecommunications companies to go into untapped communities to establish internet connectivity at affordable, or heavily subsidised costs, in order to assist with closing the digital gap among students.
Speaking to educators at the 57th Jamaica Teachers’ Association (JTA) Annual Conference recently, Steve Distant, Chief of the Non-Branch Division, at JN Bank, says several students are being left behind academically, because they do not have access to information and communications technologies, such as laptops and tablets, internet connection or mobile data, needed to attend classes.
“Teachers, despite your best efforts, this pandemic has given rise to what we call, ‘the digital divide,’ which you, our teachers, have very little control over. It’s a term I’m certain many of you have become familiar with since the start of this pandemic; as, in many instances, your classrooms of 30 students or more have had as little as five students turning up for online sessions daily. Why is that?” he argued.
Mr Distant added that the digital divide also contributes to a social divide and it is concerning that in more than a third (34 per cent) of Jamaican households, children do not have exclusive access to a device for virtual learning purposes.
“We need to bridge this gap, and we have to do it soon, as this can affect our ability to transform our education for economic growth and development. Every student in Jamaica should have access to the tools needed to facilitate effective virtual learning, because this is the future. As the adage goes: ‘Every child can learn, every child must learn.’ Under this new mode of operation, this saying bears the same weight. We cannot afford to continue having our students left behind,” Mr Distant emphasised.
The banking executive lauded teachers for their noteworthy efforts in trying to ensure that as many students as possible have access to lessons.
“We have seen where several of you have gone the extra mile to ensure that our students, especially the most disadvantaged, are not left behind, by going into the communities with lessons and assignments; and then returning to pick them up; spending hours on ZOOM, in Google Classrooms and with Microsoft Teams, coupled with finding creative ways to keep the easily distracted students engaged. For that, we are eternally appreciative,” he said.
He lauded The Ministry of Education for implementing the One Laptop or Tablet Per Child initiative; but at the same time, he maintained that the digital gap still remains wide.
While also commending the JTA for coming to an agreement with the government to launch the Tablets for Teachers Programme, Mr Distant said that this will provide greater improvements in virtual learning and assist teachers to deliver valuable content to their students.
“Technology in the classroom can also assist us with delivering better training to students, thus making teaching and learning more interactive and fun, while providing additional exposure to a wider scope of subjects which help to make our students well-rounded. However, we need access for all,” he stated.
In providing the teachers with a tip about how they can further assist in bridging the digital and social divide, Mr Distant urged them to lobby for all students to be provided with the necessary tools, in order to effectively take teaching and learning to the digital level.
