-as a teaching and learning tool
EDUCATION Minister Shaik Baksh has reported that some 500 teachers have completed training to use the computer as a teaching and learning tool in keeping with his ministry’s thrust to upgrade teachers to cope with current demands of the school system and increase students access to Information Communication Technology (ICT).

Addressing a group of teachers recently at the Horosoro Primary School, Baksh pointed out that a number of schools have benefited from newly-established computer laboratories, while teachers were trained to utilize the technology to help students improve their performance in core subject areas.

More than 60 secondary schools have already been equipped with computers, while at the primary level, 60 schools are expected to receive similar attention this year.
To date, more than half of the targeted number are in receipt of fully implemented computer laboratories, which exercise includes  the refurbishing of existing space to provide the required environment for the equipment.
A computer network that allows for the sharing of data, applications and physical resources such as printers and scanners was also installed.
These laboratories in the primary schools, Minister Baksh said, have been installed with a specialized learning software called ‘the Success Maker’, which has been designed to strengthen students’ skills in languages and mathematics.
At least two teachers from each of the targeted schools have undergone training in basic computer literacy, with an introduction to the ‘Success Maker’ application.
The teachers of all schools to have implemented ‘Success Maker’ have received hands-on orientation to guide the configuration and set-up of students’ profiles.
At the secondary level, Baksh said laboratories with 30 computers each were implemented at five schools with support from the Canada based NGO Global Partnership for Literacy (GPL). The Ministry of Education is currently working with GPL to provide computers to an additional five secondary schools.
Four other schools received computers as part of a UNICEF supported project – Connecting Classrooms. This project is intended to provide online learning support for children in Grades Seven to Nine in core subject areas. Already a web based application has been developed for the publishing of subject lessons, and teachers from selected schools have undergone training in the preparation of content.
In an effort to ensure that teachers are adequately prepared to use computers for teaching and learning, the Ministry of Education has started the development of an ICT competency framework for teachers.
This plan provides a roadmap for teachers’ professional development in ICT and makes available the training opportunities for teachers to develop appropriate skills. Support for this undertaking has been provided by the Commonwealth Secretariat, the Commonwealth of Learning, and Microsoft Corporation.
These and other initiatives in the area of ICT are all in keeping with meeting the objectives that are set-out in the Ministry’s 2008-2013 Education Strategic Plan.
The Ministry of Education in the visionary documentation envisions to equip all secondary schools and 50 per cent of the primary schools with IT laboratories by 2013, but Baksh has been plugging for these benchmarks to be achieved within another year.