The Ministry of Education yesterday took another step towards digitizing education with the launch of the Animal Friends Learning App.
A release from the Ministry of Education said that the launch which was held at the Tuschen Nursery School was a collaborative effort between the ministry’s National Literacy Department and the Nursery Department. The Animal Friends Learning app, which is available on the Google Play store has been in development over the last two years, the ministry said. After its initial download, the app can be used offline without any internet connectivity.
Giving an overview, Assistant Chief Education Officer (Literacy), Samantha Williams stated that it is an adaptation of the Timehri Reader Series, the Animal Friends Reader and Workbooks. The release said that these resources provide a sight-word-based programme to develop children’s sight-word recognition skills and expand their vocabulary so that they can begin to achieve early reading success. The programme is interactive and provides teachers with opportunities to support self-directed learning opportunities for their children. Additionally, they are some evaluation activities to check how learners are progressing.
The release said that the app was developed by Khaimwattie Seenarine, a teacher. She told the audience that the idea was birthed after she utilized an electronic tablet to deliver lessons to her pupils one day. She said that the pupils were responsive to that lesson.
Delivering the feature address, Minister of Education, Priya Manickchand stated that that in the age of technology, it is critical to find ways to engage children meaningfully. As such, the app provides a platform for pupils to learn through play.
Assistant Chief Education Officer (Nursery), Devendra Persaud said the app was developed to transform the Animal Friends Reader and Workbook into a more effective and interactive approach through an e-learning platform. He noted that it was handed over in July 2022 and is currently being used in nursery classrooms in Regions One, Seven and Nine.
In addition to launching the Learning App, two Nursery Schools received tablets as part of the Ministry’s Each Learner a Tablet Initiative. These are the Noitgedacht and Clairemont Nursery Schools.
Williams noted that this initiative had its beginnings when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted learning for the nursery sector in 2020 and each sector was responsible for designing a Response Strategy to ensure learning continuity during an uncertain period in the World’s History.
