The Ministry of Education (MOE) and University of The Bahamas (UB) have forged a pivotal partnership which will facilitate the resumption of face-to-face classes for students of the C. W. Sawyer Primary School, affording them the experience of learning in a university environment.

Effective Monday, 15th March 2021, C.W. Sawyer students, teachers and administrators will be accommodated in the C, D, E, F, G, and S blocks at the University’s Oakes Field Campus until June 2021. School personnel will have access to UB’s Wi-Fi, and supervised access to open spaces and other facilities to support their educational and operational objectives.

Since Tuesday, 23rd February, public schools in New Providence, Abaco, Exuma and Eleuthera have resumed face-to-face instruction under the hybrid model which includes on-site and virtual learning. However, the C. W. Sawyer Primary School campus is currently being renovated while remote instruction continues. Given that the University remains in Emergency Remote Teaching mode for the remainder of the Spring 2021 Semester, senior administrators of the Department of Education, Ministry of Education and UB have been collaborating to provide access to on-site instruction for the students of C. W. Sawyer.

School activities at UB’s Oakes Field Campus will extend from Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in a safe and secure environment conducive for learning. All COVID-19 health protocols including the wearing of masks, accessible hand sanitizer dispensers, and physical distancing will be strictly enforced. The northern gate on Poinciana Drive leading to the Portia M. Smith Building will be used for inbound and outbound traffic and parking will be restricted to that area.

This partnership not only supports the learning of primary school and future university students in a higher learning environment, it also presents a novel opportunity for mutual cooperation to create new knowledge on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on educational delivery and pedagogies.

As we continue to fulfil our respective mandates, the Ministry of Education and University of The Bahamas are adapting to ensure the continuity of quality education for these primary school students who are being prepared for better lives in a dynamic world.