Education ministry re-launches laptop scheme for teachers |08 October 2015

The working condition of teachers of Anse Etoile primary school has been enhanced after the Ministry of Education re-launched the laptop scheme with the distribution of a first batch.

Education Minister Macsuzy Mondon handed over 10 laptops to Jacqueline Celestine, the studies coordinator for languages at the school Anse Etoile primary school earlier this week as part of activities to mark Teachers’ Day celebrated on Monday October 5.

This was during a short ceremony attended by the principal secretary for early childhood, primary and secondary education Merida Delcy, principal secretary for planning, human resources, infrastructural development & post secondary education Dr Linda Barallon, the school’s head teacher Daniella Antat, teachers and students.

The ministry is revamping the teachers’ laptop scheme and the first batch contains 500 laptops. Two bigger consignments of around 1,500 laptops will follow.

Addressing those present, the director general of the Centre for Curriculum Assessment and Teacher Support (CCATS) Dr Odile De Comarmond said the forward-looking objective is to improve students’ performance although this extended project has been a long process.

“The importance of technology in the classroom in today’s world cannot be over emphasised. We are talking here about ways and means to increase the motivation of students, to encourage student-centered teaching, inquiry learning and interactive teaching,” she said.

She also pointed out the important areas where ICT can be of great advantage such as lesson plans which can be easily adjusted and shared reducing the amount of time spent on planning, administration and reporting and increase the teachers’ confidence and expertise in ICT.

Maths and science teacher Aline Berlouis, who has been teaching for 13 years, is one of the 10 teachers who received a laptop.

She said the laptop will be useful for her to prepare her lessons and a tool for her to display all types of things to her pupils.

“I’m very happy to be one of the teachers to receive a laptop as in my line of work it is going to be something which is very useful in the lessons especially now as detailed term plans need to be done,” said Ms Berlouis.

She also said these laptops will be easier to travel with as they are slimmer and more advanced compared to the previous ones which were bigger and heavier.