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Education

Ways to use Tech to Teach; A long list of ideas for home & school use

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By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer

 

January 15, 2023 – It was back to school in recent days for children around the world. The Christmas holidays are over and for the most fortunate kids, it’s a year which has started with new gadgets.

If you’re an adult who is already worried about your child’s screen time or a teacher wants to incorporate more devices into class time there are several educational opportunities available thanks to the internet.

For Home Use

Apple Books for iPhones and iPads and Kindle for Android devices.

These provide an easy on the go solution to get your child reading. There are boundless benefits to reading for young children. Both Kindle and Apple Books have books for purchase just like in bookstores but a suite of free options are available as well. These range from classics with expired copyright including George Orwell’s Animal Farm to dozens of kids’ books including classics like The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Adventure Academy 

While this is a paid subscription at 12.99 a year the benefits are absolutely worth it.  Kids will create an avatar just as in a game like Fortnite which then travels around a school-like environment where they are allowed to solve puzzles etc. Suitable for children from grade three all the way to second form this game-like learning app provides your children with hours of engaging and interesting content all while teaching them math, science and languages.

Sushi Monster 

Got a child or student who hates math? Sushi Monster can help, children must solve math problems which then turn into plates of sushi to feed the monster. It’s a good way to get primary school students to practice addition, division, subtraction and multiplication.

Where’s My Water/ Where’s My Perry

Created by Disney these are different versions of the same thing. A straight up game with elements of Physics students must find a way to get puddles of water to the Dino or Platypus while avoiding obstacles. They are smart games that will encourage your children to slow down and use critical thinking to solve each puzzle. They start off easy but they definitely don’t stay that way!

 

For Teachers Use 

Hangman Multiplayer

For an English class boost students can all join a single hangman game using the multiplayer option and take turns guessing the word by adding letters just as in the traditional game.

MentalUP

With a huge selection of games and activities all educational in nature teachers will be able to find something to occupy the mind of every student individually.

Kahoot!

A game-based learning platform, Kahoot has learning games created by users (in this case the teacher) in the form of multiple-choice quizzes that can be accessed via a web browser or the Kahoot! App this allows students to all take educational quizzes together at once.

Virtual Trivia

Especially useful for online classes, this sort of game allows students to behave as participants in a quiz testing them on prior knowledge that they have learned, one example is online Family Feud where a teacher can set their questions and answers in the traditional game show format. Other game show formats like Jeopardy are also available.

Virtual Field Trips and Tours 

Dozens of live feed and recorded tours are available across tons of platforms for students. NASA provides views of Outer space, various Zoos stream live tours as do Aquariums. Students can see the wonders of the world and many other places  in 4k right at their classroom desks. See a full list here.

Electronics are only as good as what we use them for and there are hundreds of apps and other avenues to use them to enhance children’s learning.  Get learning!

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Bahamas News

PAY STANDOFF: Prime Minister Cancels Talks as Unions Warn of More Protests

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By Deandrea Hamilton | Magnetic Media

Monday, October 13, 2025 — Nassau, The Bahamas – What began as a calm holiday meeting has spiraled into a full-blown standoff between The Bahamas Government and two of the country’s most powerful public sector unions — the Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT) and the Bahamas Public Services Union (BPSU) — after the Prime Minister abruptly cancelled follow-up talks set for Tuesday, blaming public comments made by union leaders.

The announcement of the cancelled meeting came late Monday, just hours after a tense sit-down at the Office of the Prime Minister, held on National Heroes Day, where both BUT President Belinda Wilson and BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson accused the government of dragging its feet on salary increases and retroactive pay owed to thousands of public officers.

Wilson, never one to mince words, said the Prime Minister’s “technical officers” — the very people responsible for executing his instructions — were failing to carry out his directives regarding payment timelines.

“The Prime Minister’s issue,” Wilson said, “is that he has persons working for him who are not following his instructions. If those officers would follow through on what he told them to do, we wouldn’t be here today.”

Wilson added that the BUT and other unions are demanding retroactive pay dating back to September 2024, and that all increases be applied and paid by the October payday, not December as previously stated by the Prime Minister.

“Senior civil servants already received their retroactive pay — thousands of dollars — backdated to September of last year,” Wilson charged. “We’re saying the small man deserves the same. This isn’t a gift. It’s money already earned.”

Her comments came after the government publicly insisted that the salary adjustments would be implemented by December 2025, just ahead of Christmas — a timeline unions flatly reject as too slow.

Ferguson: ‘No More Excuses’

Following Wilson, BPSU President Kimsley Ferguson delivered a fiery statement of his own, telling reporters the unions would no longer tolerate delays or mixed messages from the Davis administration.

“The Prime Minister was receptive — but we’re not accepting excuses,” Ferguson said. “If the Prime Minister’s having a memory lapse, we have the Hansard from Parliament to remind him exactly what he promised public officers.”

Ferguson went further, warning that if Tuesday’s meeting failed to produce results, unions would “visit the House of Assembly” and intensify their campaign for immediate payment.

“Public servants, ready yourselves,” he declared. “We are prepared to stand together — all across The Bahamas — until our needs are met.”

Now, with the Prime Minister cancelling tomorrow’s talks altogether, that threat appears closer to becoming reality.

Government Bungles Response

Observers say the administration’s handling of the matter has been confused and contradictory, with conflicting statements on payment timelines and poor communication fueling frustration among teachers, nurses, and general public officers.

The government has maintained that the funds are allocated and will be disbursed before year’s end, but unionists insist they’ve heard it all before — and this time they want results, not promises.

The Prime Minister’s decision to cancel the meeting, rather than clarify or de-escalate tensions, has drawn sharp criticism across social media and among rank-and-file civil servants who see the move as punitive and dismissive.

Slowdown and the Threat of Another Mass Protest

Across several ministries, departments, and schools, reports are already surfacing of a go-slow in the public service, as workers express solidarity with the unions’ demands.

Many believe another mass demonstration is imminent, similar to the one staged last week Tuesday when thousands of workers gathered outside the House of Assembly on Bay Street as Parliament reopened after summer recess.

That protest brought parts of downtown Nassau to a standstill as union members sang, marched, and even sat in the street — a powerful show of defiance that now threatens to repeat itself unless the government moves quickly to resolve the impasse.

A Political Flashpoint

What began as a straightforward salary dispute has now evolved into a test of credibility and competence for the Davis administration. With a restless public sector, rising inflation, and unions unified across professions, the government risks not only another protest — but a full-blown industrial crisis heading into the year’s end.

For now, the unions are standing firm: they want retroactive pay from September 2024 and full salary adjustments by this October. Anything less, they warn, could push the country’s workforce from a slowdown into open confrontation.

Angle by Deandrea Hamilton. Built with ChatGPT (AI). Magnetic Media — CAPTURING LIFE.

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Education

Champions for Christ International School of Excellence

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Tiffany D. Grant-Saunders, MSW, BA Acting Principal/Guidance Counselor

Turks and Caicos, September 5, 2025 – It is our esteemed pleasure to introduce you to Mrs. Tiffany D. Grant-Saunders, MSW, BA, as the new Acting Principal/Guidance Counselor for Champions For Christ International School of Excellence, effective September 1, 2025.

Mrs. Grant-Saunders is the youngest daughter of Millicent R. Grant and Kenneth Grant.  Raised in Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands, she is a 2016 graduate of Champions For Christ International School of Excellence.  She holds a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Clinical Counseling from Saint Leo University in Saint Leo, FL, having graduated Magna Cum Laude.

She brings her experience as a Mental Health Technician and Education Liaison in Dade City, FL. In addition, she completed her internship as a Therapist Intern with North Tampa Behavioral Health and Zephyrhills Behavioral Health.

We are excited to have Mrs. Grant-Saunders return to the Turks and Caicos Islands and invest her time and talents in the continued building of our student body here at Champions For Christ International School of Excellence.

Please join us in welcoming her home!

 

Claudette M. Basden

Founder & Executive Director 

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Bahamas News

Holmes Rock Junior High School on Track to Open in September

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Bahamas Information Services

 

GRAND BAHAMA, The Bahamas — On Saturday, August 23, 2025, Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry for Grand Bahama and Member of Parliament for West Grand Bahama and Bimini, Kingsley Smith along with Deputy Director of Education for the Grand Bahama, Bimini, and The Cays District, Michelle Bowleg toured Holmes Rock Junior High School to assess ongoing progress and ensure the project remains on track to welcome students for the new academic term in September.

Following the tour, Smith expressed optimism regarding the ongoing progress, stating, “Having toured the site and seeing the work that is being done on the weekend, shows the commitment and dedication to getting it completed.”

He also noted that after discussions with the contractors, he was assured that with sufficient manpower and around-the-clock work, the project remains on track for completion by September 1, 2025.

“One of our underlying goals is really access, so we are happy that the school will be up and ready for our students,” said Bowleg.

She highlighted that several zoom meetings were held with parents to keep them informed about key updates including booklists, uniforms, and staffing. According to Bowleg, feedback from parents has been overwhelmingly positive.

“It is a beautiful facility, one that parents will be very proud of, and the entire West Grand Bahama community,” she added.

(BIS Photos/Danielle Rollon)

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