Bahamas News
Education Ministry Undertaking a Learning Loss Assessment to Review the Impact of COVID-19 on Education
#NASSAU, Bahamas, January 18, 2023 – Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin said the recent lockdowns and shutdowns in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic have had multiple negative effects on education.
“Indeed, it has been noted that no sector has been more severely affected than the education sector,” the Minister said at a press conference on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 announcing that the Ministry will be undertaking assessments on children at public schools throughout the country to evaluate the extent of the learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“A tremendous body of research has been conducted globally and regionally and there is unanimity in the findings that millions of children worldwide are suffering from learning loss.
Minister Hanna-Martin explained that learning loss according to the World Bank refers to any specific or general loss of knowledge and skills or to reversals in academic progress, most commonly due to extended gaps”.
She also noted that a World Bank report published in June 2022 shows that “prolonged school closures, poor mitigation effectiveness, and household-income shocks had the biggest impact on learning poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), with a predicted 80 per cent of children at the end-of-primary-school-age now unable to understand a simple written text, up from around 50 per cent pre-pandemic”.
The Minister said, “It is incumbent upon us in The Bahamas to measure the impact of COVID-19 which will give us real data as to the extent of learning loss so as to allow us to craft interventions to help our children catch up. The report shows that even before COVID-19 there was a learning crisis; COVID-19 exacerbated this crisis to huge proportions.”
She said the World Bank reported to avoid a permanent impact on the human capital accumulation of this generation, countries need to focus on reversing those losses and accelerating learning.
Minister Hanna-Martin said as a demonstration of data driven research, the Ministry commissioned a survey with the Department of Statistics to ascertain the reasons why thousands of children did not sign on to virtual learning and this data has given much insight into an array of issues.
She said another exercise that was undertaken nationwide involved public and private teams dispatched into communities to compile first-hand data on children not attending school.
“The deployment of attendance officers followed this initiative, to procure the attendances of students. Due to these combined efforts, we have been able to achieve an unprecedented school attendance rate of 94 per cent.
“Further, we commissioned a research project with the University of The Bahamas to identify factors which influence learning outcomes to our school population. This research will assist the Ministry in shaping policy and creating targeted interventions.”
Dominique McCartney-Russell, Acting Director said the Ministry has hired a consultant firm to undertake a diagnostic assessment of the learning loss that has occurred in the country and to provide recommendations for accelerating learning recovery.
After a bidding process, Renaissance Learning Inc. was the winning firm based on several criteria. These include:
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The company should have had at least a minimum of three years of successful consultancy in the education sector with the expertise required to satisfactorily complete the assignment.
- They should have successful experience in at least three assignments of similar value and complexity in diagnostic assessment, remediation and acceleration in a school system.
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They should also have experience in providing services to school systems with a student population of more than 35,000 children from grades K to 12.
The Acting Director said, “We looked at qualifications experience, methodologies, work plans, organization and staffing, subject matter expertise and overall competence for this assignment.”
She added, “The mandate of this consultancy includes diagnostic assessment, the remediation and the salvation of learning recovery for students in K to 12 in the public school sector.”
Renaissance Learning Inc. has worldwide impact and operations in countries including the United States, Canada, China, Australia, the United Kingdom and the Caribbean.
According to Renaissance Learning Inc. website, since 1986, its mission has been to accelerate learning for all children and adults of all ability levels and ethnic and social backgrounds, worldwide. Today, more than 40 per cent of US schools rely on Renaissance solutions for data and insights to equitably move learning forward.
Release: BIS
PHOTO CAPTION: Minister of Education and Technical and Vocational Training the Hon. Glenys Hanna-Martin announced that the Ministry will be undertaking assessments on children at public schools throughout the country to evaluate the extent of the learning loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on Tuesday, January 17, 2023 at the Ministry. Also bringing remarks was Dominique McCartney-Russell, Acting Director.
(BIS Photos/Kristaan Ingraham)
PRESS RELEASE
FROM THE GRAND BAHAMA PORT AUTHORITY, LIMITED
Tuesday, March 18, 2025 – Grand Bahama, The Bahamas – The Grand Bahama Port Authority (GBPA) is proud to announce the launch of Tech Edge 2.0, a paid remote internship program, connecting eligible Bahamian candidates—both locally and abroad—with global career-building opportunities in the fields of cybersecurity, mobile app development, data science, and artificial intelligence (AI). According to GBPA exe
cutives, this initiative is a significant step in positioning Grand Bahama as a leader in the digital economy while providing Bahamians with valuable experience in high-demand tech fields.
“Tech Edge 2.0 is more than an internship program—it is a pipeline to professional success”, commented Derek Newbold, Chief Investment Officer for GBPA and Invest Grand Bahama. “With nearly 200 Bahamians already registered, including Bahamians residing in Canada, the U.S., the U.K., and across the islands of The Bahamas, this program is bridging the gap between education and employment, equipping participants with job-ready skills and fostering a new generation of innovators ready to contribute to the advancement of technology and innovation in The Bahamas.” Currently, there are 10 internship placements available, with additional spaces being added as more companies join the program. GBPA, through its Tech Edge 2.0 program, has partnered with four leading international technology firms, including Prophaze (California, USA), Cognetik Labs, Cybermindr, and Digital5 Solutions, to provide paid remote internship training and employment opportunities. All are start-up companies and emerging titans across cybersecurity, API security, and AI-driven threat detection fields. They also cover software development, IT infrastructure, and cloud computing.
Pleased with the evolution of the Tech Edge Program, which initially launched in 2023, President of GBPA, Ian Rolle, noted that he is highly optimistic about the program’s success to date and its proven potential to help drive Grand Bahama as the Tech and Innovation Hub of the nation. “These partnerships are unlocking global opportunities for Bahamians and proving that Grand Bahama is serious about technology. Further, it offers Bahamians direct access to the international job market—without having to leave home.” Rolle stated. “This program is about ensuring that our people are equipped with top-tier training to develop the requisite skills and career pathways to thrive in the digital economy,” Rolle continued.
The Tech Edge 2.0 Internship Program is open to eligible Bahamians worldwide who hold a college degree or are currently pursuing one in a technology-related field, have a strong interest in cybersecurity, AI, mobile app development, data science, or IT infrastructure, and are eager to gain real-world experience and work remotely with cutting-edge tech companies.
Ian Rolle
Applications for Tech Edge 2.0 are now open and will close on March 21, 2025. Interested candidates can apply online at www.techedgebahamas.com, where they will find step-by-step guidance on the application process. GBPA’s project coordinator for Tech Edge 2.0, Jecholiah Braynen, described the initiative as a long-term investment in The Bahamas’ tech workforce and economic growth. “Through our partnership with Quess Corp, a multinational business service provider, based in India, GBPA is building the requisite skills within the Bahamian workforce and equipping them with job-ready skills and experience. This program creates opportunities to drive economic growth, establish new career opportunities, and attract tech companies to the Bahamas by creating a sustainable ecosystem where Bahamians can thrive in the tech industry,” she emphasized. “This is just the beginning. As Tech Edge grows, so will the number of available opportunities.”
Bahamians interested in expanding their career opportunities are encouraged to apply today and become part of The Bahamas’ digital transformation.
For more information, visit www.techedgebahamas.com for updates, success stories, and insights into the tech industry.
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