Correction: It has come to the attention of catholicsvg.org that in our article of May 28, 2020, titled “SMSS Receives Tablets for Online Learning,” we incorrectly reported that the school received “a recent donation of tablets from the SMSS Past Students Association of North America.” The sentence should have read that the donation of tablets was “from the SMSS Past Students Association.” They were not solely donated by the North American chapter. Catholicsvg.org apologises for the error.
The original article with the correction is reprinted below.
SMSS Receives Tablets for Online Learning
Students of the St. Martin’s Secondary school are now better equipped for online learning. This is thanks to a recent donation of tablets from the SMSS Past Students Association.
Since March 20, 2020 schools in St. Vincent and the Grenadines have been closed due to the COVID-19 global pandemic. Most schools have now turned to online learning. Although the St. Martin’s school has been hailed as one of the leading schools in online learning some students are still at a disadvantage by not having the required devices.
The association then initiated a response to this need by sourcing the tablets. At first their target was 40 but an overwhelming response saw the number grew to 93.
In a handing over ceremony on May 25 at the school, the principal, Mr. Yohance Gibson, thanked the association for this well needed donation. At the time of the ceremony, following a needs assessment by the staff, some tablets were already distributed to the most needy in the first instance; students who were never able to access the e-learning forum. Then others were then distributed to students who were in homes where there is only one device to multiple children.
In attendance at the ceremony were Bishop Gerard County, chairman of the board of the school, Mrs. Kay Martin Jack, senior executive officer for secondary schools, members of the past student’s association, some of which were via Zoom video conference, parents and some students.