Education Commissioner Dr. Alfred Ada said he and his team are working to come up with the most equitable way to implement distance education in light of the COVID-19 situation in the CNMI. <\/p>\n
According to Ada, PSS is looking at transitioning to distance education for the remainder of the school year but that is still in the works. <\/p>\n
\u201cDistance education right now is not going to be implemented. All online course we will be putting together will not be implemented yet because it has to work for all learners. Packets seem to be the most equitable for all learners but it\u2019s still not 100% equitable because some students need that one-on-one interaction with teachers, so we\u2019re still trying to figure out another way. For right now, for all learners we will do just the packets,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
During a special Board of Education meeting last Tuesday, BOE members instructed Ada to look further into what could be done in terms of transitioning into online learning for the rest of the school year. <\/p>\n
\u201cBecause some of our students need accommodation. \u2026We have to make sure we can provide that technologically. There will still be human contact but, again, we\u2019re not sure. If we don\u2019t accommodate these services, we\u2019re violating the\u2026law,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Aside from the idea of distributing educational packets for the week, Ada said he is looking to work with IT&E and Docomo Pacific to request help in providing internet for the student population that don\u2019t have access to internet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are a system, everyone matters. Special Education, honors, at-risk population, everybody is involved, even the average learner. The way I\u2019m looking at this is either everyone\u2019s needs are being addressed, or nothing. The other idea is to contact IT&E and Docomo, which I will be meeting with them, to talk about offering WiFi to students who don\u2019t have. We have to first figure out a contract with IT&E\u2026just for the remaining three months just so they can participate,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
Ada said that PSS is looking at shouldering the cost of providing WiFi services for over 1,000 students for the remaining three months of the school year. <\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re going to ask them first what they can offer and then we\u2019re going to meet them halfway. \u2026All we know is that over 1,000 students are receiving special services,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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