(Barbados Today) The COVID-19 pandemic has caused profound challenges in education, as many young people who lack technological devices and internet access are being left behind their peers in the shift to remote learning.
The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) is stepping in to close this gap for disadvantaged students enrolled at the University of the West Indies (UWI).
On Thursday, CDB’s Board of Directors approved a USD 200,000 grant to assist with purchasing information and communication technology and other remote learning solutions for students and to expand the university’s capacity to deliver remote education for all.
Division Chief of the Social Sector Division at CDB, Deidre Clarendon emphasised how the move to online learning has especially affected students from vulnerable groups, saying: “While it’s been necessary to protect the wider population, evidence has shown that the sudden shift away from face-to-face lectures to remote learning has proven difficult, particularly for the most vulnerable, such as women, rural learners, students with disabilities and those from lower socio-economic circumstances.
