NASSAU, The Bahamas – The Ministry of Education and Vocational & Technical Training has sought the assistance of the Department of Statistics to conduct a scientific survey to determine why thousands of children have been absent from classes by not signing on to the virtual learning program in some instances for 2 years.

The Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin, Minister of Education and Vocational & Technical Training, in her contribution to Parliament, Wednesday, November 3, described the matter as an “urgent” situation, an emergency of sorts, which has the potential to seriously impact the country’s national development and future prospects.

“We hope the findings will allow us to assist in the overcoming of obstacles to access to learning, which we suspect comprise an array of challenges.

“We are now embarking on the identification of each individual child, and his or her grade level and school, to devise a strategy based on the results to provide remediation for these children. Amongst this group are children who would have, under normal conditions, completed their final year of school both last year and this year.

“These children must now be considered “drop-outs” and we are devising strategies to engage these young people through programmes – public and private -- at the National Training Agency, Bahamas Technical and Vocational Institute, youth training initiatives now under consideration, and apprenticeship programmes.”   (BIS Photo/Ulric Woodside)