Failure of Government’s remote-learning initiative sparks deFreitas’ worry about students’ future

Franz deFrietas, the United Progressive Party (UPP) Candidate for St. John’s City South, is deeply concerned about the future of education, here in Antigua & Barbuda, and the Nation’s youth.

DeFrietas’ concern is focused on the current remote-learning platform that most schools have been utilizing since the pandemic began in March last year, and which, he believes, has failed.

Even teachers have said that children need to return to face-to-face instruction, since the remote-learning method has caused many students to fall behind.

DeFreitas estimates that more than half of the country’s school-aged children – at both primary and secondary levels – are not receiving the standard of education required to meet tertiary-level entrance.

It appears that the Government does not know how to use this platform optimally to ensure that students receive the best education possible, deFreitas says.

Accordingly, he says,  he personally has put mechanisms in place to help students to learn.  

The Government recently instituted a policy of mandatory vaccination for children aged 12 to 17 years, ostensibly to ensure that face-to-face learning can resume. 

This is deFreitas’ response to that mandate.