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)
NASSAU, Bahamas — More Bahamians are accessing HIV and sexually transmitted infection-related healthcare through National Health Insurance, a trend the NHI Authority says should be viewed positively.
NHIA stressed in an August 6 statement that its 2025 figures measure healthcare utilisation, not newly diagnosed infections. They include beneficiaries screened, treated, monitored or receiving follow-up care, including people diagnosed previously.
“Increased utilisation of these services should be viewed as a positive development,” NHIA said.
The Authority pointed to “greater enrolment and use of NHI, improved access to screening and testing, continued treatment and monitoring of existing conditions, and increased willingness to seek medical care.”
The development comes amid a mixed three-year HIV picture. New diagnoses rose from 130 in 2023 to 156 in 2024, before declining to 142 in 2025.
NHIA said increased utilisation demonstrates that more beneficiaries are accessing needed healthcare and actively managing their health, reinforcing the importance of screening, early diagnosis and continued treatment.
NASSAU, Bahamas — Caribbean Wines & Spirits (CWS), The Bahamas’ premier wines and spirits distributor is proud to announce the launch of Monument Beverage Co., its newest 100% locally produced ready-to-drink alcoholic cocktail.
Monument, “Made to Celebrate”, perfectly encapsulates everything the brand represents. Created and distributed by CWS, Monument is
inspired by culture, crafted with excellence and bursting with innovation.
This unique beverage celebrates island living with three bold flavors, Ginger Lime, Peach Passion and Melon Fizz. All of which can be enjoyed at an ABV of five-point-two percent.
The brand’s creativity really shines through each can’s packaging. Bold colored stripes, cherished native flora and fauna and of course, national monuments can all be found on each can.
The beverage’s two year plus development is a testament to CWS’ dedication to quality and innovation. Countless hours of tastings, reformulations, focus groups and package design reviews all paid off with the creation of Monument.
Karla Wells-Lisgaris, Chief Commercial Officer of Caribbean Wines & Spirits and Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, shared what this authentically Bahamian made product launch means for the company.
“When we were conceptualizing Monument, we wanted to create a product that not only tasted like The Bahamas but would be an ode to the
nation as well. With those two thoughts in mind, I, along with a team of experts, created three incredible flavors we believe really connect with and celebrate the essence of island living,” she said.
“Additionally, being that Monument is the first product to be 100% manufactured by Caribbean Wines & Spirits, we really wanted to ensure that both the flavors and packaging honored our rich heritage. On each of the cans, you can find various monuments such as the Nassau Public Library in New Providence, the Garden of the Grove in Grand Bahama and the Hatchet Bay Silos in Eleuthera; all of which pay homage to our diverse Bahamian heritage.” Wells-Lisgaris concluded.”
The historic monuments found throughout our islands are more than places we pass every day; they are reminders of who we are, where we’ve come from and the stories that connect us as Bahamians.
Monument is perfectly formulated with quality ingredients, and each can celebrates a collection of these cultural icons from across The Bahamas.
Whether chilling solo beachside, gathered around a family table or backyard a grill with friends, make Monument your sip of choice. Monument is made to celebrate, visit www.cwsbahamas.com today for more details.
NASSAU, Bahamas —– Caribbean Bottling Company (CBC), local producers of Coca-Cola and Dasani products, is proud to crown Lady
Kayla of Exuma as this year’s annual Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup winner.
CBC created the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup to further the advancement of sailing and Bahamian culture through monetary and social support. The competition judges the skipper’s performance across three regattas, The Best of the Best, the National Family Island and Long Island Regattas.
The winning sloop led by Kianno Hutchinson and Joss Knowles showcased their skillmanship in the E-Class category across each round of competition. In addition to winning the trophy, the skippers were awarded a $5,000 donation, an $8,000 stipend to the junior sailing club of their island and a limited-edition Lady Kayla Bahamas Goombay Punch commemorative can, which will be released soon.
Jonathan Thronebury, Marketing Director of CBC shared the significance behind The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup.
“The Bahamas Goombay Punch is more than a beloved local brand; it’s a vibrant part of our cultural fabric. Just like sailing, our national sport, it carries a rich legacy that spans generations. Recognizing this shared history, we’re proud to support initiatives that celebrate and advance Bahamian culture,” he said.
Hutchinson and Knowles shared what this win meant for them.
“I felt super proud when I realized we won. I am grateful and thankful to God, for good coaches and Joss. It was really an honor winning the
Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup,” Hutchinson expressed.
“I am very honored to have been able to compete in the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup, I think it is a great concept and idea for a competition and really adds a new motive throughout the regattas. The whole championship was super competitive, and every single race was a fight. Alvington McKenzie was extremely competitive and had us until the Long Island regatta, which made it a very fun and tough competition. Very excited to have been the winner of a super close championship,” Knowles revealed.
Lady Kayla’s owner, Dallas Knowles, shared the team’s winning strategy.
“In sailing consistency is key and our guys in Lady Kayla are some of the best in the business at staying near the top. In the end, that was enough to secure their first Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup win. We are so proud of Joss and Kianno for what they have done in Lady Kayla. Thank you to Caribbean Bottling Company for such an amazing and forward-thinking initiative,” Knowles shared.
The Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup is proud to continue its impact on sailing and community building through clean and fair competition.
For more updates on the Bahamas Goombay Punch Cup and Caribbean Bottling Company visit the website www.cbcbahamas.com today.
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