THE Ministry of Education’s Georgetown Department, on Friday, distributed care packages to learners living in Albouystown, Sophia, Back Circle, Rasville and Wortmanville.
The initiative targeted learners in areas where the Community Chalkboard Project was implemented, and is aimed at keeping them actively occupied while schools are closed for face-to-face teaching. The Community Chalkboard Project was enacted by a MoE team, led by Chief Education Officer, Dr. Marcel Hutson. The aim of the project is to engage learners who do not have access to the internet or other learning materials, and was carried out in conjunction with the distribution of worksheets to ensure that all learners are engaged.
The care packages contained face masks, food items, dictionaries, school stationery and educational toys.
Hutson, who witnessed the distribution at the Albouystown Nursery School, noted that the initiative has taken on some “very important steps”, the ministry said in a press release issued on Sunday.

The CEO further highlighted that some learners have not been engaged since March 2020, and he detailed the minister’s search for ways to impact education delivery since she took office in August, 2020. “We have a vibrant Minister of Education who has been on the front burner. Lots of things were not happening and in some cases, [she] singlehandedly went to communities and delivered worksheets,” Hutson expressed. He also alluded to the ministry’s recently launched ‘BeKind’ campaign on social media, iterating the ministry’s intention to ‘be kind’ to all learners who participated and continue to participate in the chalkboard project. “We will continue to provide work on the chalkboards so that students in the community can come out”, the CEO pledged. Meanwhile, Education Officer (Nursery), Deborah Hutson, said that the distribution of the packages is a way of encouraging students to continue utilising the chalkboards while simultaneously alleviating some of the harsh experiences that were brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.