E-textbooks announcement causes jitters
Published:Friday | August 26, 2022 | 12:09 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
WESTERN BUREAU:
An announcement by Education Minister Fayval Williams that all high-school students will be receiving electronic English textbooks when the new school year begins next month has triggered unease among parents and educators, with a call for a delay in the implementation.
Richard Dennis, the National Parent-Teacher Association of Jamaica’s advisor in the Ministry of Education’s Region Four, told The Gleaner that long-standing issues of Internet connectivity and access to devices will need to be addressed, if such a move is to be successful.
He also noted that many parents have already made arrangements to secure printed textbooks, with days to go before the new school year starts.
“The only [practical] thing to do is for us to continue on this path and let that other process (e-books) for September be delayed until we have some answers to some of these questions,” said Dennis.
Speaking at the Jamaica Teachers’ Association’s annual conference this week, Williams said that the education ministry would be continuing its thrust for students to access e-books, a process started during the pandemic.
“This upcoming school year, all our students from grades seven to 11 will have their English 1-2-3 books and CSEC English books in electronic format, and we have all the emails for all our students and will directly send the link to them so they can access the books,” Williams said.
Dennis is not pleased that parents were not consulted.
“The challenge we have is that things continue to be implemented without the inclusion of the parents, so that we can ask the questions we need to ask and make preparations instead of coming prior to the opening of school to hear that this is how it is going to be,” said Dennis. “We have to be given enough time or notice as parents, so that we are able to respond appropriately.”
Although her school is not impacted by the move, Sudbury Primary School Principal Susan Davis believes the roll-out could be challenging as many schools are grappling with other issues, including a high number of resignations.
“Presently, our schools are faced with the dilemma of teacher migration, and e-textbooks are adding fuel to the situation. Most rural schools will be slapped in the face, as most of our schools are not up standard with the new norms. Most of our schools are not equipped with the resources, and many of our students are from the lower economic status,” she said.
The concern mirrors an August 2020 warning by Latoya West Blackwood, chairman of the Book Industry Association of Jamaica, who said then that a comprehensive review was needed to ensure there would be no gaps in learning once a transition to e-books for primary and high-school students begins.